Andy Burnham slated over 'foolish' failure to exclude PC Andrew Harper's killers from early release: 'Chosen the police as his enemy!'

Andy Burnham has been scolded by a former Scotland Yard detective for his "foolish" decision not to exclude PC Andrew Harper's killers from Labour's early release scheme.

Speaking to GB News, Peter Bleksley argued the Prime Minister's "ambition outstrips his ability" and had "chosen the police as the enemy".

The Police Federation has vowed to take the Government to court in a bid to stop the early release of PC Harper's killers, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers.

Aileen O’Connor, the chairwoman of the body, said releasing the pair onto the streets would "anger and demoralise" the morale of serving officers in the area.

Writing in The Sun, Ms O'Connor said the Police Federation would "throw everything at this through a proper legal challenge" and would "accept nothing less".

Discussing the move by Mr Burnham, Mr Bleksley told GB News it is not surprising the public and the family of PC Harper are "outraged" at the decision.

He said: "Clearly there is very strong feeling amongst the public, not only police officers, and as much as the police have attracted some legitimate criticism in recent years, I think most law-abiding people would like to be able to support their police.

"And when they see one as heroic as PC Harper having been slaughtered, then see the people responsible for his death receive lamentably pathetically low sentences, only for two of those to be potentially released early, then of course the public are outraged."

Taking aim at the Prime Minister, Mr Bleksley criticised him for making such a "foolish" move against the police "so early in his tenure".

He told GB News: "I think it just shows that we now have yet another Prime Minister whose ambition outstrips his ability.

"To choose the police as an enemy is a very foolish thing to do so early into his tenure."

The ex-detective threw his support behind their decision to take legal action, declaring it the "right thing to do".

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He said: "The chief constable of Thames Valley Police is doing the right thing. If there needs to be legal action against the Government, so be it.

"There is Harper's Law, which will forever keep Andrew's great name in history. But of course, those laws that mean anyone who kills a 999 worker essentially will get life imprisonment cannot be applied retrospectively.

"So to these two pieces of verminous dirt, it does not apply."

Asked by host Martin Daubney how the policing community would react if PC Harper's killers are released early, Mr Bleksley stressed that there would be an "awful lot of hurt and upset".

He said: "It has caused and it is causing an awful lot of upset, hurt and disquiet way beyond the family who, of course, are naturally upset.

"And now, as we see even more criminals being early released onto the streets, as we see shrinking police budgets and less police officers on the street, who would think that that's not going to make this country even more dangerous? More criminals, less police officers, it's really not rocket science."

Mr Burnham has said of the scheme's reforms: "I do not pretend it is a perfect solution or that it goes as far as I would like. My commitment over the months and years ahead is to rebuild our justice system so that it commands the confidence of the public.

"This will not happen overnight and nor without difficulty, but we will deliver a justice system that the British people expect and deserve."