Britain’s Labour Government Just Released 1,700 Prisoners Early in a Single Morning

Faced with an overcrowded prison system, the UK’s new Labour government has implemented an early release program, liberating over 1,700 prisoners in a single morning.

At a Glance

• The Labour government released more than 1,700 prisoners early on Tuesday morning.
• The initiative plans to escalate up to 5,000 early releases in the coming weeks.
• The release aims to alleviate overcrowding, intensified by numerous arrests from recent protests.
• Experts warn that many released offenders are likely to reoffend soon.

Labour Government’s Early Release Program

The UK’s new Labour government, facing a severely overcrowded prison system, released over 1,700 prisoners early on Tuesday morning. This measures a drastic increase from typical release numbers and marks the beginning of a broader plan to free up to 5,000 prisoners in the coming weeks.

The early release program is largely a response to the growing strain on the prison system, exacerbated by numerous arrests related to anti-child-stabbing and anti-mass-migration protests. Current Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that this bold step was necessary to prevent a breakdown of the criminal justice system and ensure public security. She emphasized the importance of “tackling the crisis head-on” to ward off a “total collapse of our criminal justice system that would leave the public less safe.”

The number of early releases is significantly higher than in previous years. Historically, the release of this many prisoners at once is unprecedented, which has led to considerable criticism and concern from the British public. 

Experts have expressed concern about the plans, too, with Martin Jones, the Chief Inspector of Probation, observing that many offenders are “almost bound” to be back in jail “within days or weeks” because “things will go wrong in the community.”

The primary goal of the mass release is to curb the prison overcrowding crisis. The UK prison population recently hit a record high of 88,521, with a projected increase of 27,000 by 2028. Overcrowding is harming prisoners’ rehabilitation prospects, given that many are confined to their cells for extended periods without access to education and training. 

Andrea Coomber KC, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, has criticized the “woeful education and training” available to inmates, warning that such conditions contribute to reoffending.

Criticism and Political Fallout

Experts and political opponents have strongly criticized the early release strategy. Former government advisor Dominic Cummings, who worked for the Boris Johnson administration, suggested that the influx of criminals on the streets might benefit private security firms. Richard Tice, Reform UK Deputy Leader, questioned why the Labour Party government is releasing criminals early instead of deporting foreign criminals in British jails. 

“When there are some 10,000 foreign criminals blocking up space in our jails, why aren’t they being removed and deported, simultaneously saving the British taxpayer billions of pounds every year and having the support of millions of British voters?” Tice asked.

In response to the criticisms, the Labour government intends to implement additional safeguards. The early release scheme reportedly excludes those convicted of sex offenses, terrorism, domestic abuse, and some other violent offenses. Still, reports surfaced that certain high-risk inmates had been released ahead of their terms. The charity Refuge has expressed concerns, demanding government assurances that those convicted of violence against women and girls (VAWG) offenses will be exempt from any similar measures in the future. 

“When considering options for the early release scheme, we need assurances from the government that those convicted of violence against women and girls (VAWG) offenses will be exempt from this scheme and any further measures to tackle overcrowding,” a spokesperson from Refuge stated.

The Ministry of Justice is investing in building six new prisons to create an extra 20,000 places to ease pressure in the long-term, with 6,000 spaces already created and 10,000 more expected by the end of 2025. However, critics argue that this initiative represents a temporary fix rather than a sustainable solution.