Tories to force vote on exempting rapists from Labour's early release scheme

From September, the Government will bring into force part of the Sentencing Act 2026, enabling some offenders to be released earlier in an effort to relieve overcrowding in prisons.

Reports have suggested that killers, rapists and sex offenders could be among up to 6,000 criminals released from prison early in a few months time.

Ahead of an opposition day debate, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “It is frankly disgusting that convicted rapists, paedophiles and grooming gangs are being let out early by Labour.

“We warned the Government their Sentencing Bill would do this, but they didn’t listen. Now even Andy Burnham is saying he wants to change the law, so groomers and rapists aren’t eligible for early release.

“If Labour MPs want to show they understand the fury that many people feel about this situation, they should vote for the Conservative Party’s motion and keep vile sex offenders behind bars.”

Andy Burnham, who is likely to be the next prime minister, is exploring how to tighten the scheme to prevent child sex offenders from walking free, according to The Sunday Times.

Labour former minister Jess Phillips called for “more exemptions within the release scheme”, including to keep adults who rape children in prison for longer.

Mrs Badenoch’s party previously tabled an amendment to the Sentencing Bill in a bid to prevent rapists, paedophiles, and other serious offenders from being awarded automatic early release.

Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said the extra capacity created by the early release scheme could help governors focus more on rehabilitation, but warned institutions were still failing to provide the education, training and risk-reduction programmes needed to support their release.

He added: “This is an area we’ve been worried about for many years.

“A lot of prisoners are going to be going out from jails in September, October, November, and we will watch very closely what the effect of that is in terms of reoffending rates and risk to the public.”

Prisoners serving time for some violent or sexual offences will become eligible for release halfway through their sentences under the new model, rather than serving the current tariff of two-thirds.

Burglars and thieves are among the prisoners who will be considered for release a third of the way through their sentences, down from the current 40%.

The first 700 offenders are to be freed in September, the Telegraph has reported.

Victims have begun to receive letters from the Government telling them their abusers or attackers are due to be let out of prison in the early release scheme.

Jess Phillips, a Labour former minister, said last week “there should be more exemptions within the release scheme”, including to keep adults who rape children in prison for longer.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This Government is fixing the prison crisis it inherited – building 14,000 more prison places and reforming sentencing so we can always lock up dangerous criminals.

“Without this decisive action, prisons will run out of space entirely as early as November and we will be unable to lock up serious offenders at all.”

Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said: “Sex offenders like members of the evil rape gangs should remain behind bars. But Labour are letting them back onto the street.

“This is a betrayal of victims, many of whom have not been properly informed about the release of those who committed horrific crimes against them.

“Prison works – by punishing, by deterring and by keeping dangerous criminals away from the public. Serious violent, and sexual offenders must be banned from being let out under Labour’s disastrous early release scheme.”

Shadow justice minister Dr Kieran Mullan MP said: “Labour promised each and every victim of the most serious offences that their perpetrator wouldn’t get out early, and yet the changes they have made will betray those promises.

“When it counted, the Liberal Democrats had the votes to stop the early release of rapists and chose to side with the Government instead. We are giving them a second chance.

“The Conservatives will vote to keep rapists, paedophiles and grooming gang members locked up where they belong.

“Labour and the Liberal Democrats now must decide whose side they are on.”