New Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has apologised for comments he made about the early release of prisoners which were picked up by a microphone.
Streeting, who was selected in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new-look Cabinet on Monday, made the remarks in a conversation with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and the new Justice Secretary Alex Norris on Tuesday.
In the overheard conversation, Streeting suggested to Mahmood that Norris was “the enemy now” and “wants to let them all out”.
Streeting said on X that the remark was referencing a former joke shared between former Conservative prime minister Theresa May and ex-chancellor and home secretary Kenneth Clarke.
May previously joked she “locked ‘em up and he let ‘em out” about her and Clarke’s roles as home secretary and justice secretary.
“I hope everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new Justice Secretary – it was a reference to an old May/Clarke joke,” Streeting posted on X.
“But I appreciate these are very serious issues and am sorry for any offence inadvertently caused by this moment of levity.”
Mahmood also said there was “no ill intent” about the “ribbing” of Norris.
She wrote on X: “I appreciate this is an extremely serious issue and do not want anyone to mistake this moment of levity for a lack of serious intent.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X: “While Andy Burnham’s cabinet are joking about letting criminals out of prison early, Conservatives are listening to victims and will continue to fight this disgusting policy.”
Under the new Sentencing Act, set to come into force in September, around 6,000 criminals are set to be released under the early prison release scheme.
Alex Norris has been urged to reconsider the early release scheme, and when asked about reports that the prime minister could be working on exempting rapists and child groomers, his spokesman said: “The government’s fully focused on keeping the public safe.
“We’ve got no option but to take decisive action to fix the crisis in our prisons. I’m not going to get into speculation over possible policy changes.”
Streeting’s comments come as the mother of police officer Andrew Harper said it feels like an “insult” that two of her son’s killers may be eligible for early release from prison.
PC Harper was 28 when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019.
Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the car and both 17 years old at the time, were handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020.
Both men might be eligible to be released from prison halfway through their sentences, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.
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