Early Release Scheme

It took protests and petitions for him to realise how strong public opinion was and then to take action. I think it was the justice department that found how to do this legally. It was not automatic from Burnham.

Can’t accuse Burnham of not listening though, which people would have done if this hadn’t been changed.

It needs a listening PM to get things changed.

Do people have to shout?

On this topic he was right to listen and react to public feeling.

25Avalon

It took protests and petitions for him to realise how strong public opinion was and then to take action. I think it was the justice department that found how to do this legally. It was not automatic from Burnham.

Oh dear - grumble, grumble. How do you know that is what it took? How do you know this was not what he was thinking all along? He's only been in post for a few weeks and has grasped the nettle of this difficult topic which no-ne else has done - well done say I ... !

25Avalon

Do people have to shout?

This guy does the right thing when those before him have not and still he is in the wrong!

I think it's a shocking state of affairs that we are even in this position of freeing anyone before their sentences (often too lenient, anyway) are served.
I would like to see the Government set up a scheme where foreign nationals, who are due for deportation when they leave prison, are deported as soon as they are sentenced. Even if the UK had to pay something towards their incarceration it would be cheaper than keeping them here courtesy of the UK taxpayer.
Just as importantly, it would free up many of the 10.000+ spaces they take up in our overcrowded prisons at the moment. This figure increases year on year so it is unlikely to get any better.
A plan like this would remove the need for an early release scheme.

I think the million odd signatures will have swayed him to do the right thing.
I think if there had not been the police & public outcry, I think they would be getting out.

25Avalon

It took protests and petitions for him to realise how strong public opinion was and then to take action. I think it was the justice department that found how to do this legally. It was not automatic from Burnham.

But it was Burnham who demanded that the justice department found a way to do this legally. I doubt they would have done it off their own bat.

I bet that's taken the smirk off the faces of that poor policemans killers.

The problem was handed over to Alex Norris, the Justice Secretary, to find a solution , which he has done. As was prophesied at the time, if he failed it would be the end of his post; if he succeeded, Burnham would take all the credit, as is happening today.
Just in time for his triumphant entry to a new term in Parliament.
So predictable.
And now, the Defence Budget.

The bottom line here is that those two will not be getting out early. This is good news surely so why try to discredit Burnham?

Do you know, if Andy Burnham stopped the whole world from imploded, single handed, someone would say he didn’t do it right and blame him for it happening in the first place.

Well done Andy Burnham keep going, you’re doing better in a few weeks than most of the previous PMs did in a whole term

It should never have come to this and wouldn't have had it been thoroughly gone into in the first place.

Well done Andy Burnham. I can't see this would have happened under KS.

Peacelilydilly

I bet that's taken the smirk off the faces of that poor policemans killers.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when they find out

Good on Burnham. Thank goodness he is there now and not the human rights lawyer.

Good. As it should be.

I support the idea that foreign nationals should be deported on conviction to free up much needed space in the prisons.

When will new prisons be built, we certainly need them.

Who says Keir Starmer wouldn’t have acted as Andy Burnham has in ensuring those two criminals remain in prison? Must have forgotten how hard Starmer came down on the violent demonstrators after the summer riots two years ago. There was no about-turning or flip-flopping then, he was on solid ground.

Sounds like some are actually believing that Burnham is the Messiah.

Five minutes ago we were all being told what a good guy Starmer was, adult in the room etc. So I am not sure if we can be blamed for being sceptical about 'the next great thing'.

I am delighted they are not being released if that's any help.

MrsQuigley

Good. As it should be.

I support the idea that foreign nationals should be deported on conviction to free up much needed space in the prisons.

When will new prisons be built, we certainly need them.

Who says Keir Starmer wouldn’t have acted as Andy Burnham has in ensuring those two criminals remain in prison? Must have forgotten how hard Starmer came down on the violent demonstrators after the summer riots two years ago. There was no about-turning or flip-flopping then, he was on solid ground.

Sounds like some are actually believing that Burnham is the Messiah.

The Tories have to take some responsibility for not expanding prisons.
I have a GD who works for the Ministry of Justice and when the shortage of prison spaces was looming, she joined a working party travelling around the country's prisons to assess their suitability for expansion. Many prisons cannot be enlarged for various reasons but the MOJ working party put forward sensible and workable solutions to provide more prison spaces. Each and every one of them was turned down with the last report being refused by Rishi Sunak.
The problem isn't going to go away. Like you and in a previous post on this thread, I think all foreign nationals should go back to their countries to serve their sentences.

eazybee

The problem was handed over to Alex Norris, the Justice Secretary, to find a solution , which he has done. As was prophesied at the time, if he failed it would be the end of his post; if he succeeded, Burnham would take all the credit, as is happening today.
Just in time for his triumphant entry to a new term in Parliament.
So predictable.
And now, the Defence Budget.

He's not taking all the credit!

Unlike many past PM's he has been clear where he turned for guidance and help.

I think a lot of things were in the pipeline under Starmer, but he was not such a good communicator.

I am not interested in apportioning blame and slagging parties off - I just want to see problems tackled with an emphasis of creating a fair society rather than feathering the nests of the rich few.

The changes announced by Andy Burnham to the Sentencing Act weren't in the pipe line, and I'm not convinced even with the strength of public feeling that KS would have made the amendments we are now seeing.

I am just glad that it is happening.