Burnham pauses early prisoner release plan after survivor backlash

Andy Burnham paused the early release of prisoners planned for September after a backlash from survivors and victims’ families, including the widow of PC Andrew Harper, who described the prospect of his killers’ release as “deplorable”. Burnham said he would “put a pause” on the scheme and carry out an “urgent review”, leaving the timetable for prisoners in England and Wales uncertain.

The policy was designed to ease overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales. ITV News said some 6,000 prisoners were due to be released early under the new Sentencing Act, which was due to come into force in September 2026, and BBC reporting said the scheme would have made thousands eligible for early release.

That places the dispute at the intersection of two pressures: the anger of victims who do not want serious offenders freed sooner, and a prison system that officials have already treated as close to breaking point. Badenoch has called for emergency legislation to stop the scheme, saying dangerous violent and sexual offenders would otherwise be released at the start of September. Her demand would effectively force ministers to find some other way to deal with the capacity squeeze.

Alternatives are available, but none is a quick fix. The House of Lords Library has said government plans to reduce pressure on prison capacity have included early release, short sentences and funding to address lack of capacity and overcrowding. The Prison Reform Trust has also pressed for fundamental reform of sentencing, while community-based options have been promoted in some settings, including a Northamptonshire women’s centre pilot that combines mental health treatment with support for physical health, education, financial stability and relationships.

The backlash has also revived older warnings about the human cost of crowding out prison space with rushed releases. A May 2024 warning said plans to free prisoners 70 days early had put domestic abuse survivors in danger, underscoring why victim groups have been so vocal about the September scheme. Burnham’s pause now leaves the government trying to answer those concerns without simply shifting the pressure deeper into an already strained prison system.