Andy Burnham said he is “increasingly confident” the killers of Pc Andrew Harper will not be released early from their sentences, because ways can be found to free up prison space for serious offenders.
The Prime Minister said “I don’t want to see a single prisoner released early” as he claimed to have been “pressing every single day to go further” on limiting the number of inmates who will be set free as part of the measures to reduce overcrowding.
Mr Burnham said he had “never taken no for an answer” as he confirmed he had ordered Justice Secretary Alex Norris to draw up plans to increase the number of cells available to keep more serious offenders behind bars.
Mr Norris had been asked to fast-track proposals to create “more headroom” in the prison system, including through deporting more foreign offenders, finding a solution for people on indeterminate sentences and using cells previously holding female inmates to accommodate male offenders.
The Prime Minister told broadcasters: “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 going through.
“What I have done since I came into office is push 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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