Nigel Farage rips into Andy Burnham as PM allows early release of PC Harper's killers
Nigel Farage has criticised Andy Burnham after it was revealed two men involved in the 2019 killing of police officer Andrew Harper are still likely to be up for early release.
PC Harper died in Berkshire in 2019 after being dragged along the road by three teenage quad bike thieves.
Some 6,000 offenders were set to be let loose on Britain's streets in September, including the two men involved in the 2019 attack, after serving a third of their sentence, rather than half, in a bid to ease prison overcrowding.
The Sentencing Act was amended in January, with eligibility for early release based on the length of an offender's fixed sentence, rather than the type of offence.
In a video uploaded to social media, the Reform UK leader claimed Britain is "learning a lot about Andy Burnham already".
He said: "Burnham said it would be awful if PC Harper's killers were released early. He said it because that's what the public wanted to hear. But today we learn that yes, the killers of PC Harper will be released early.
"He tells people what he thinks they want to hear, but he will not actually deliver."
Mr Farage also pointed to the Conservatives' record, saying the party "failed us all."
The Reform UK leader told his 2.3million followers on X that Reform UK would deport foreign criminals and build Nightingale prisons to solve the problem of overcrowding in British prisons.
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Kemi Badenoch suggests rent prison spaces from abroad
Kemi Badenoch said her party would rent cells abroad, build more prison places, and deport foreign offenders to ease overcrowding.
She told broadcasters: "We do need to solve the problem of prison overcrowding.
"We said we were going to build prisons in the Conservative manifesto, Covid derailed that programme.
"We still need to build prisons. We need to remove foreign criminals, and we should do what Conservatives had planned to do two years ago, which Labour stopped, which is rent prison spaces from other countries. Sweden does it. The UK can do it too."
Asked how much that would cost, she said: “You cannot put a price on keeping the citizens of this country feeling safe and secure."
Andy Burnham told to raid Britons for £12billion more in taxes
Lord Kinnock has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to align capital gains tax with income tax rates ahead of Labour's first Budget on October 28, arguing the move could raise an additional £12billion a year.
The former Labour leader, whom Mr Burnham described as one of his key mentors last month, said increasing capital gains tax (CGT) would provide a significant boost to the public finances.
Speaking to The i Paper, Lord Kinnock said: "I'm sure that the Government understands the utility and the encouragement which the further £12billion revenues that such a fair change in CGT would bring."
The intervention comes as Chancellor John Healey is widely expected to announce tax increases in the Budget, with Mr Burnham previously acknowledging Labour would likely have to ask the public "for a little more".
Nigel Farage vows to 'save lives' with plan to tackle small boat crisis
Nigel Farage has claimed Reform UK's 'Operation Fortress' will "save lives" after a mega-dinghy carrying dozens of illegal migrants caught fire while making the illegal journey across the Channel.
A major air and sea rescue took place in the English Channel this morning after the dinghy sank, tipping almost 160 illegal immigrants into the sea.
Mr Farage said: "We must put a stop to this. Our plan will save lives."
Yesterday, the party chief, alongside Zia Yusuf, outlined what their team dubbed "Operation Fortress".
'This is as far as we can go', claims Alex Norris as he defends Labour's controversial release scheme
Justice Secretary Alex Norris has said that the upcoming changes to prison sentences as part of a push to protect the public from dangerous criminals were "as far as we can go".
Speaking to GB News following a phone call with PC Andrew Harper's widow, he said: "It suffices to say that she was very clear about her disappointment with the decision that has been taken, her anger, and her sense of feeling let down.
"We have to remember why we're where we are. When we came to government, we were in a situation where we were days away from prison places running out.
"That means nobody getting arrested. That means people being bailed back home even after serious offences.
"We are building lots of prison places, 14,000 over the next few years, but we've made important changes through the Sentencing Act to make sure we don't run out of prison places without these changes.
"We run out of prison places in October or November of this year. Now we have a new justice secretary. Andy Burnham, as the new Prime Minister, has heard the concerns about some of the people possibly involved in this, so we have paused it, and we've looked again.
"This is as far as we can go and still have prison places. And I know that's very disappointing and upsetting to victims and their families, but it's the best we could manage at this time."
'It is astounding. It is disgraceful. It's disgusting!' Matt Vickers takes aim at 'entirely unacceptable' prisoner release scheme
Matt Vickers has criticised Labour's early release scheme while speaking to GB News, branding the plan "entirely unacceptable".
Shadow Minister of State for Illegal Immigration, Crime, Policing and Fire told the People's Channel that Labour had rejected justice.
He said: "For anybody who's been a victim of some of the most heinous and awful crimes, like these individuals, to not see, you know, if you've lost a family member in these circumstances, and to see this Prime Minister making a decision that that person should still be released.
"It's just entirely unacceptable... I remember Lissie Harper campaigned day and night, put herself forward to get justice for Andrew Harper. She's got it. And this government is rejecting it.
"This Labour government have done terrible things. But to release these people early for those Labour MPs across the country who walk through those lobbies to support this, it is astounding. It is disgraceful. It's disgusting."
Kemi Badenoch slams Andy Burnham for 'only partial climbdown' in prisoner release scheme
Kemi Badenoch has taken to social media to criticise Andy Burnham's announcement on releasing prisoners early.
Writing on X, the Tory leader said: "Andy Burnham wants a round of applause for agreeing not to release rapists and child sex offenders. He's not getting one.
"This is only a partial climbdown. Killers, violent offenders, men who have terrorised their partners and more will all still walk out of prison in October thanks to Labour’s early release scheme.
"Yet again victims are learning their fate from press releases.
"Conservatives have a better plan. Build, rent, remove. Build more prisons. Rent prison spaces abroad. Remove foreign criminals.
"The victims of these horrific crimes have suffered weeks of uncertainty and fear. They deserve so much better."
Thames Valley Police Chief Constable 'beyond disappointed' with Andy Burnham's decision to release Pc Andrew Harper’s killers
Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg has said he is "beyond disappointed" that Pc Andrew Harper’s killers would be eligible for early release.
He said: “I am beyond disappointed the Government is continuing to allow Pc Andrew Harper’s killers to be released early from prison despite the overwhelming recent public outcry.
“It is simple: if Andrew’s killers were convicted today, they would receive life sentences due to the law that was created in his name. They would not be eligible for early release.
“This decision is demoralising for all police officers and our fellow emergency service workers, not just in the Thames Valley, that put themselves in harm’s way to protect and serve their community.
“We stand with Andrew’s family, the Police Federation, our police and crime commissioner in our dismay and we will continue to lobby the Government to make the right decision.”
PC Harper's widow accuses Andy Burnham of 'betrayal' as PM set to let her husband's killers go free
PC Andrew Harper's widow has accused Andy Burnham of a "betrayal" after he failed to exclude her husband's killers from his early release reforms.
In a statement late last night, she said: "This is disgusting. I am beyond appalled and bristling with anger to hear that Andrew’s killers are soon to be free to roam the streets.
"What abhorrent message does this send? How dare ministers say the killing of a police officer is not enough of a ‘sickening crime’ that deserves the stiffest of punishments.
"The level of disrespect the Government are showing to Andrew and other victims – and to their loved ones such as me – is beyond contempt.
"The killers of Andrew have shown no remorse... they robbed us of our future. They are vile criminals, and they should remain in jail.
"To release them early from their already pitiful sentences is an affront to justice.
"The Government and the justice system have not just let me down... they have added insult to injury. They are meant to be on our side.
"This is an utter betrayal - and it's one I will not be able to forgive or forget."
Grooming gang rapists to be barred from early release scheme as PM vows: 'Public safety is my top priority!'
Andy Burnham has blocked grooming gang rapists from upcoming changes to prison sentences as part of a push to protect the public from dangerous criminals.
Mr Burnham, who GB News understands was stopped from going further amid fears of the prison system collapsing, also announced rapists will face tougher community supervision and a new GPS monitoring system.
The changes mean rape and child sexual offences will be added to the exclusions that were already in place for 18,000 offenders, including those who have been found by a court to be the most dangerous or anyone serving a life sentence.
However, the Prime Minister has come under fire after it was revealed two men involved in the 2018 killing of police officer Andrew Harper are still likely to be up for early release.
The Prime Minister said: "Keeping the public safe is my top priority. That’s why I asked for an urgent review of the prisoner release scheme.
"I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear."
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