GB News host Ellie Costello has accused the Labour Government of “playing with the families of victims” over Andy Burnham’s latest move to attempt to block the early release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper.
Speaking to the People’s Channel, Work and Pensions minister Lilian Greenwood assured the Government is “acting to protect the public in the way that we roll out the early release scheme”.
The Prime Minister is considering a “rule change” to block the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.
Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole are set to be freed under the Government’s early release scheme, sparking outrage across the nation.
In an attempt to prevent the pair from being freed, ministers are now willing to introduce an exemption that would stop those convicted of a certain type of manslaughter from being automatically released.
Highlighting the ongoing back and forth from the Government on whether the two killers can be blocked from early release, Ellie told Ms Greenwood: “Here we are again, looking like a solution may have been found. You are perhaps inadvertently playing with the families of victims here.
“When are we going to finally get some clarity, and are these killers going to be blocked from the early release scheme?”
The MP responded: “None of us wants to see these people released early. We all understand why it would have such a devastating impact on PC Andrew Harper’s family.
“And that’s why the Prime Minister has been so determined to do something about it, and has charged the Justice Secretary with finding a solution.
“I’m not going to speculate on what that solution is, but I’m confident that Alex Norris will come up with a solution.”
Ms Greenwood argued that when it comes to the early release scheme, Mr Burnham has “already acted to make sure that those convicted of some of the most serious offences of murder or rape or child sex offences won’t be able to access early release”.
She explained: “We inherited this crisis in prison capacity from the Tories, who closed prisons and failed to provide additional prison places. We’re committed to providing thousands more prison places over this parliament, and we’re acting to protect the public in the way that we roll out the early risk release scheme.
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“And now, Alex Norris is looking at how we can ensure that those like the killers of PC Andrew Harper are not able to be released early either.”
Challenging Ms Greenwood’s argument, host Alex Armstrong highlighted previous remarks from Mr Norris, who told GB News that the Government has gone “as far as we can go” with the early release scheme.
Asked why these options to block dangerous criminals from early release “weren’t explored earlier”, Ms Greenwood responded: “I’m sure these options were being explored. We know that the prison system is under immense strain.
“Your viewers, as much as the rest of us, will not want to be in a position where someone appears before the courts for a serious crime and they’re not able to be sent to prison because there aren’t available prison spaces there. That’s what we need to avoid.
“And that’s why the early release scheme was put into law through the Sentencing Act, because we needed to take action after 14 years of failing to take action.”
Assuring she has “every confidence” in the Government to find a solution, Ms Greenwood told GB News: “Of course, it leads to these difficult cases, but we absolutely understand the public sentiment as well as the sentiment of the families.
“And that’s why Andy Burnham said we have to try to come up with a solution that deals with this situation. He’s asked Alex Norris to do that, and I know that Alex Norris will be working to make sure that he’s able to deliver on that ask that the Prime Minister has put forward.
“I don’t want to speculate on how he’s going to do that, but I have every confidence that he will come up with a solution that meets the challenge that we face.”
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