'Thank You, Andy Burnham': Prisoners Praise PM As They Are Released Early

Former prisoners publicly thanked Andy Burnham as they were released early from jail.

Around 700 inmates are being let out before the end of their sentences today as the government tries to ease prison overcrowding.

One prisoner, dressed in shorts, a T-shirt and trainers and holding his belongings in a bin bag, said to reporters as he left HMP Durham: “Justice system, what justice system? Thank you Andy Burnham.”

Another prisoner gave a thumbs-up to cameras as he walked away.

A man leaving HMP Cardiff, who was asked if he had a message for the prime minister, said: “Thank you very much and don’t get me back here again, bro.”

Some 5,000 prisoners are scheduled to be released in stages over the next year under the governments plans.

That is down from 6,000 after ministers intervened to exclude rapists and the most serious child sex offenders from the scheme.

Burnham also personally intervened over the summer to prevent two of the killers of PC Andrew Harper from being released following a public outcry.

It meant that anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including manslaughter, would not be included in the scheme.

Inmates jailed for death by drunk or dangerous driving, and historic child sex offences, were also be excluded from the changes.

Justice secretary Alex Norris said: “We understand the anxiety victims face ahead of offenders’ release dates, but the greatest danger to victims would be prisons running out of cells for dangerous criminals, which was the crisis this government inherited.

“Our plan will make sure this never happens again by building 14,000 prison places while subjecting offenders to the toughest-ever controls, leaving them nowhere to hide and under no doubt that we are watching them.” 

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