Labour's soft justice 'cover-up': Number of criminals handed early release from jail will be kept hidden from the public

Labour is concealing the number of criminals freed early from prison, prompting accusations of a cover-up.In a new soft justice scandal, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will hide how many prisoners are let out of jail under its controversial new measures.The scheme, launched at the beginning of this month, is expected to free up to 50,000 prisoners a year.But unlike Labour's previous early release scheme – which has let out more than 70,000 offenders so far – the MoJ will not publish figures on how many actually walk free under the new programme, officials have confirmed.Instead, the number of criminals benefitting from heavy discounts on their punishments will be rolled into an existing set of statistics – and will be impossible to separate out.It will leave the public and MPs in the dark about the full scale of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's soft justice bonanza.Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said: 'This looks like a cover-up by Labour to hide the true scale of their latest disastrous early release scheme.'They must come clean and explain why they refuse to publish this data. There were scenes of celebration outside HMP Leeds on the first day of Labour's new early release scheme on October 1 There were similar scenes outide HMP Walton In Liverpool on the first day of the scheme, and it can now be revealed the Government will keep overall release figures secret'Thousands of dangerous criminals are being freed from prison early by Labour, with some immediately beginning crime sprees and others even going on to kill.'Only the Conservatives have a fully costed plan to build 50,000 more prison places, ending early release for good and ensuring we can put violent and serious repeat offenders behind bars.'About 700 criminals were let loose from jails across England and Wales on October 1, the first day of the scheme, with those serving up to 19 months' imprisonment falling eligible.Daily releases have continued since then.From Tuesday, the scheme will be expanded to apply to more serious offenders handed sentences of up to 29 months.Those serving even longer sentences will become eligible as the scheme is extended each month – with the tenth and final expansion, in early June, applying to those given sentences of 12 years or more.David Spencer, head of crime and justice at think-tank Policy Exchange, said: 'The Government must be willing to provide detailed information on prisoners released under Andy Burnham's early release schemes.'The public deserve to know how many criminals are being released, what their offending history is and what crimes they go on to commit on release.'We know many criminals return to their offending ways almost immediately on being let out of prison - one this week went on a crime spree only hours after being released - which is why Policy Exchange has previously called for stronger prison sentences for prolific criminals.'If the Government won't give us these sorts of details on their early release scheme it smacks of a cover-up happening in plain sight.'There are no overall figures on how many released prisoners have gone on to commit new crimes so far.However, one senior Metropolitan Police officer last week warned that one freed under the new scheme had committed a series of new crimes with 'astonishing' speed.Prolific offender Michael Bogle, 38, admitted 11 shoplifting offences and was re-jailed.The registered sex offender had previously been photographed walking out of HMP Wandsworth on the first day of the release scheme. Asked if he had a message for Mr Burnham he said: 'Keep the early release going. It's good.' Prolific offender Michael Bogle, 38, was freed from HMP Wandsworth on the first day of the programme, and committed fresh crimes with 'astonishing' speed, police said Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Police said eight men had been arrested within days of being released early, for offences including robbery, domestic violence and drugs.The Conservatives have repeatedly warned the PM's programme poses an 'acute threat' to public safety.Prisoners previously due to serve 40 or 50 per cent of sentences handed down by the courts are now being freed after serving just 33 per cent.As the scheme is rolled out in the coming months, criminals convicted of certain violent or sexual offences who were previously eligible for release two-thirds of the way through their sentence will instead be let out at the halfway stage.It is a mammoth expansion of Labour's previous early release scheme launched in September 2024 to create space in the overcrowded jails.On the new scheme's first day, a succession of criminals thanked the PM for letting them out.Outside HMP Brixton in south London, serial thief David Elliott announced he planned to immediately reoffend.'I've got 360 convictions and an addiction to stealing,' he said.'I'm gonna go stealing again. Whatever I get, whatever I get.'One prisoner leaving HMP Durham said: 'Justice system, what justice system? Thank you Andy Burnham.'Another walking out of HMP Cardiff who was asked if he had a message for the PM said: 'Thank you very much and don't get me back here again, bro.'Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has announced plans to build 50,000 new jail places if her party wins the next General Election, increasing the size of the prison estate by more than 50 per cent.MoJ documents showed Labour's scheme will be a 'new permanent approach' and after the first day of releases in each group the early releases will 'continue on a business-as-usual basis'.It added: 'For context, approximately 4,500 offenders are released from custody in a typical month.'The majority of those criminals will benefit from the new early release terms, brought into law by the Sentencing Act earlier this year.The Government has refused to disclose how many prisoners are projected to be let out early in total.However, Labour's first attempt at an early release scheme was leading to between 3,000 and 4,000 early releases every month.The new programme is wider in scope, with some serious violent offenders becoming eligible for the first time.It is likely to see about 50,000 offenders a year freed early, once excluded groups are taken into account.Life-sentenced prisoners, such as murderers, and those serving extended sentences are ineligible.Other categories of violent and sexual criminals are also excluded after public outcry led to a series of U-turns by Mr Burnham over the summer.An MoJ spokesman said: 'We inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse.'If we had failed to act the police would have been forced to halt arrests, putting communities at untold risk.'Our changes are part of a long-term overhaul of sentencing, ending the crisis in our prisons and keeping dangerous offenders behind bars.'The Sentencing Act follows an independent review and was fully scrutinised by Parliament.'