Politics · 23 July 2026
Burnham stops plan to free 6,000 prisoners early before September launch
House of Commons via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The planned changes would have allowed many prisoners to leave custody earlier under electronic tagging, but Andy Burnham ordered an urgent review after concerns about public safety and victims. Probation officers said the pause has left preparations in confusion because release planning takes six to eight weeks. Burnham said no one will be released under the policy until risks have been fully reviewed.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs