𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham has been pressed by the Conservatives to introduce emergency legislation to stop the early release of serious offenders, including paedophiles and rapists.

The Prime Minister will have to recall Parliament to do this as MPs are currently on recess for the summer.

Mr Burnham paused the scheme last week and ordered a review after the family of police officer Andrew Harper raised concerns over two of his killers being considered for early release.

Under changes in the Sentencing Act, some 6,000 offenders were set to be let out of prison in September after serving a third of their sentence – rather than half – in a bid to ease prison overcrowding.

Reports have suggested that killers, rapists and sex offenders could be among those let out, which has garnered widespread criticism.

Ordering a review of the policy, Mr Burnham said: “No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done everything we can to minimise risk to the public.”

It is expected to report back within the “coming days and weeks”, according to one of his housing ministers, Sally Jameson.

The Tories have claimed the review does not go far enough, and a change in the law is needed to prevent the release of dangerous offenders.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Andy Burnham must prove he is serious by acting now to stop Labour’s early release scheme.

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“Instead, in an echo of Starmer, he has announced another Government review. It’s not good enough. Without emergency legislation, dangerous, violent and sexual offenders will be released at the start of September.

“The Conservatives have fought this dangerous scheme from day one.

“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. Burnham needs to show us he’s ready to take the tough decisions.”