Keir Starmer assures safeguards are in place as concerns rise over loopholes in new early release scheme.

Ministers are making every effort to ensure domestic abusers are not released early under a new temporary early release scheme, according to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The scheme, set to come into effect on Tuesday, aims to alleviate overcrowding in prisons by allowing some prisoners to be released after serving just 40% of their sentence.

However, there are growing concerns over a potential loophole that could see domestic abusers released early. Reports suggest that some domestic violence-related crimes are not always categorised as such, which could allow offenders of such crimes to benefit from the scheme. While there are exemptions for domestic abusers, the issue has sparked a debate on the fairness and safety of the release plan.

The UK’s prison population has hit a record high of 88,521, with a sharp increase in recent weeks, driven partly by recent unrest across the country. Starmer expressed frustration over the situation, saying the last government’s failure to build enough prisons had left the system “full to bursting.” He stressed the need for action, stating that without the scheme, the criminal justice system would collapse.

In response to concerns, Starmer assured that safeguards are in place for high-risk prisoners, including those convicted of domestic violence. “We are doing everything we can to make sure that high-risk offenders and domestic abusers are not released,” he said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the “broken” prison system, blaming the previous government for its failure and committing to reform. Meanwhile, former Conservative justice secretary Alex Chalk suggested that the government’s approach to sentencing needed to change, pointing out that custodial sentences have increased dramatically in the past 50 years, which has added to the strain on the prison system.

Chalk argued that while some individuals, such as those convicted of high-profile crimes like Sarah Everard’s murderer Wayne Couzens, may deserve long sentences, the overall length of sentences in England and Wales is far longer than in other European countries. He also noted the significant financial cost of imprisonment, with each prisoner costing £50,000 a year to incarcerate.

Chalk admitted that he supported a review of sentencing but stressed that it was important to balance public safety with cost-effectiveness. He warned against locking up “everyone we’re cross with,” advocating for a more targeted approach to sentencing.