More prisoners recalled to jail than released early since Labour came to power

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Feb 9, 2026 - 07:17

More prisoners recalled to jail than released early since Labour came to power

More prisoners have been recalled to jail than have been released early, it has been revealed.

Tory analysis of official data has shown 54,354 prisoners have been recalled to jail for reoffending or breaching their licence, while 49,000 have been released early since Labour came to power in July 2024.

Since September 2024, under then-Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood's Early Release Scheme, prisoners can be released after serving just 40 per cent of their sentence, rather than the standard 50 per cent.

Shadow Justice Secretary, Nick Timothy, said: "Labour has turned our prisons into a revolving door for criminals. They are letting out sex offenders and thieves early instead of deporting more foreign offenders.

"To the surprise of nobody, these criminals have continued to act against the law and break the rules. This is utterly corrosive to public safety and inflicts more harm and suffering on the British public.

"While Labour tolerates this lawlessness, the pressure on our prisons has not eased. What we need is a radical plan for our prisons. Not Lammy’s surrender to crime."

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