Labour failing woman and girls with early release scheme, former Home Office minister Jess Phillips warns

By SOPHIE CHURCH - POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 00:39, 8 August 2026 | Updated: 00:55, 8 August 2026 Labour is failing women and girls with its early release scheme, a former Home Office minister has warned. Jess Phillips, who quit as safeguarding minister under Keir Starmer, claimed yesterday Labour is ‘nowhere near the level of will and commitment it will actually take to halve’ rocketing levels of violence directed at females. And she urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham this week to prioritise women’s safety by blocking thousands of domestic abusers from being released from jail early. Speaking on Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Ms Phillips said: ‘The Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, if you were to do everything in it, you would probably drop [VAWG] by about 25 per cent.’ She also blamed Government departments for focussing on ‘other priorities’ while women and girls have to compromise on their security. ‘I understand other government departments have other priorities, but it’s not my job to be flexible,’ she said. ‘I have one job, and it is to stop women having to be flexible about their safety.’ Sir Keir was elected on the promise of halving violence against women and girls within a decade - a commitment laid out in Labour’s manifesto at the last general election. But Ms Phillips resigned from Sir Keir’s Government in May after deriding his lack of ‘gusto’ in tackling the issue. Jess Phillips, who quit as safeguarding minister under Keir Starmer, claimed yesterday Labour is ‘nowhere near the level of will and commitment it will actually take to halve’ rocketing levels of violence directed at females Ms Phillips intervention comes as thousands of domestic abusers are set to be freed early from jail after Andy Burnham gave the green light to a controversial scheme to ease overcrowding in prisons She has now urged Mr Burnham to prioritise women’s safety by stopping the release of thousands of domestic abusers from jail before their sentences are up. Ms Phillips said on Wednesday the new PM should ‘absolutely look at’ making those guilty of coercive and controlling behaviour exempt from early release. This comes as thousands of domestic abusers are set to be freed early from jail after Mr Burnham gave the green light to a controversial scheme to ease overcrowding in prisons. In figures revealed by the Daily Mail last week, Mr Burnham’s decision could lead to more than 9,000 wife-beaters walking free before their sentences are up. Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns said yesterday that ‘even Jess Phillips now admits what victims have known all along: Labour’s early release scheme is a danger to women and girls. Ms Kearns said: ‘Labour have already let more than 70,000 criminals out of prison early. Every one of those releases is a choice, a choice that makes women less safe. Labour must scrap this scheme now. ‘The Conservatives would keep dangerous offenders behind bars, abolish the Sentencing Council and return sentencing guidance to the Lord Chancellor, because protecting women and girls must always come first, ahead of managing prison numbers.’