It’ll be a disaster if early release scheme isn’t halted – child abusers, wife beaters & cop killers must stay locked up

ANDY Burnham’s first act as prime minister has been to approve the early release of paedophiles, grooming gang members and killers – like the killers of Andrew Harper – from prison. Labour have finally U-turned on releasing rapists, but only after weeks of pressure from Conservatives, campaigners and victims. Andy Burnham must keep child abusers, wife beaters, grooming gang members and cop killers locked up Credit: AP PC Andrew Harper and his brave widow Lissie Credit: PA It is a relief that they have – but you need only look to the despair of PC Harper’s widow, Lissie, to see this is only a very partial victory. Labour’s Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, actually apologised to her on the very day the new exclusion for rapists was announced, knowing that her husband’s killers would still go free. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! On the same day, the Prime Minister had the gall to say he felt the victims’ pain. Burnham and Labour have completely misread the public mood. Most of us think killers, rapists and paedophiles already serve sentences that are too short. Now, thousands will be released after serving half or as little as one third of their sentence. We are told the public will be safe because of advanced tagging and strict licences, but we know that recalls to prison are up 28% and offenders are breaking their licences consequence-free – last year one prisoner released early went 50 days without a tag before anyone noticed. Labour’s ex Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson, shockingly said it was impossible to know exactly which criminals would be released, where, or when. Most read in The Sun Calculations by the Conservatives revealed that 9,300 domestic abusers stand to be let out early, and over 350 criminals guilty of manslaughter. We are told that only “less serious” child abusers will be released early – what kind of child abuse is “less serious”? Victims’ rights campaigners are rightly outraged. We are told the Government has no choice. But they said that before – and then they conjured up a thousand spaces to stop rapists being released. If they were not telling the truth then, why should we believe them now? Analysis by my party shows there are 4,000 usable prison spaces the Government could use. It is wrong that criminals who have killed police officers should be set free. There are only two of these eligible for early release in the prison estate. Two. Are Labour really saying – having just found 1,000 slots – they can’t find room for those who have taken the lives of police? And Labour are not even building the spaces they say they are. When you factor in prison cells that are being mothballed or labelled unfit for purpose, the number of available places in prison actually fell by 400 last year. They say they are building prisons faster than ever before – it’s just not true. Burnham has so far failed to tell us how he is going to stop rapists being released. Parliament isn’t currently sitting, and they need to change the law to stop this before it starts. We have called on Labour to pass an emergency law the day Parliament comes back. But when we have asked them to spell out the plan, we have had silence. They must push back the start of the release scheme and use the time to change the law as a matter of urgency to keep dangerous criminals behind bars. A disaster is unfolding as dangerous criminals are set to be let back onto our streets. But despite asking repeatedly, Labour won’t tell us the plan. How long before a released killer strikes again, and we are all grieving over yet another tragedy? It would cost Labour nothing to act quickly to ensure criminals who have killed our brave police officers are kept behind bars. They risk their lives every day for our safety – it’s the least they can do to show gratitude and care for them, and for their families. Burnham must keep child abusers, wife beaters, grooming gang members and cop killers locked up – where they belong. Comment now