King's speech to include hardline criminal justice measures before election

Rishi Sunak's first king's speech will include a series of hardline criminal justice measures promising tougher sentences for rapists and killers in the run-up to a general election.

- Pippa Crerar, Rajeev Syal

With crime and punishment a major point of contention with Keir Starmer's Labour, the prime minister will confirm the introduction of a new sentencing bill, under which murderers whose crimes involved sadistic or sexual conduct will face spending the rest of their lives in jail.

The change in the law would mean that a whole life order must be handed down in certain cases, with judges able to choose not to impose one only in exceptional circumstances.

Criminals who commit rape and other serious sexual offences will spend every day of their sentence behind bars, the government will say government - up from 50% when the came to power in 2010.

Judges will also be given powers to order newly convicted prisoners to attend sentencing hearings, after high-profile offenders failed to appear for their sentencing hearings.

Through the criminal justice bill, the government will make clear in law that "reasonable force" can be used to make criminals appear in the dock. If offenders still refuse, they will face a further two years in prison.

The measures are being introduced after Lucy Letby, the nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies, and Thomas Cashman, who killed nine-year-old Olivia PrattKorbel, refused to attend sentencing, leaving victims' relatives distraught.