Badenoch calls for emergency legislation to stop early release scheme

Badenoch calls for emergency legislation to stop early release schemeImage source, PA MediaImage caption, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch making a speechByJennifer McKiernanPolitical reporterPublished21 minutes agoConservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring in emergency legislation in order to stop the early release of hundreds of prisoners.Burnham announced last week that he was pausing the scheme, which would have seen about 700 prisoners freed in the first phase in September, following a backlash from survivors and victims.But the Conservatives claim the government's review will not stop offenders being released. The scheme was part of a bid to stop unprecedented overcrowding, which Labour claims was caused by Conservative governments failing to build new prisons.A Labour spokesperson said: "It's this government that is fixing the Tories' mess."Early release was first used by the Conservative government, external in 2023 due to prison overcrowding, first for 18 and then 70 days, and 10,000 prisoners had been released early by June 2024 - before Labour came to power.When Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street in July 2024, there were fewer than 100 spare prison places across the adult male estate, which is what prompted the Sentencing Act to release another 6,000 prisoners early from September.While the act already excludes the most serious and dangerous offenders, such as murderers serving life sentences or those on extended sentences, the eligibility for early release is based on the length of sentence, external, rather than the type of offence.Badenoch is calling on Burnham to fast-track legislation to keep serious offenders behind bars."It's all well and good cutting bills and bus fares, but that pales into insignificance when paedophiles and rapists are about to be let out on our streets," she is expected to say at a press conference with victims on Tuesday."Burnha...