Andy Burnham has declared he will “not give up” on reforming the early release prison scheme, making clear he has “not accepted” that it is “impossible” to block the release of dangerous criminals.
Detailing his plans to reform the scheme, the Prime Minister said he is “confident that more can be done” in relation to both foreign criminals and the killers of PC Andrew Harper.
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Mr Burnham said of the plan: “I’ve heard the depth of concern felt across the country about the potential release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper, and obviously, I feel for the family and the anguish that they’re that they’re going through.
“What I have done since I came into office is pushed the system every single day to go further. I’ve not accepted it’s impossible to do more, I believe there is more that can be done.”
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He revealed: “So today I have asked the Justice Secretary to present a plan in early September to Parliament to go further so that we do not have to release as many people early.
“And that plan will include issues like returning more foreign national offenders to their country of origin and looking at the injustice of IPP sentences which have led to young people being in prison indeterminately, and that clearly is unfair.”
Pressed on whether the killers of PC Harper will be blocked from early release under his new plan, the Prime Minister made clear that he can go “much further” to ensure they do not walk free.
He said: “What I have said is that I believe we can go much further, and I hope we can get to a position where people who have committed the serious crimes are not in the position where they are being released early, and that would include the killers of PC Andrew Harper. That is my intention.
“I believe we can do it, but I now have to give time to the Justice Secretary to develop that plan, put in the detail and present it to Parliament in around three weeks time.”
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