The government has been warned not to be “on the wrong side of history” as the plight of prisoners trapped under indefinite jail terms was compared to high-profile scandals involving the Post Office Horizon software, Windrush and infected blood products.
In an impassioned bid for the government to resentence almost 2,700 inmates who are languishing under abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) jail terms, Labour peer Tony Woodley called for ministers to “end this scandal and give hope at long last to the hopeless”.
“History is being written right now, and my plea to government is this: don’t be on the wrong side of history,” Lord Woodley told the House of Lords during the second reading of a bill to resentence IPP prisoners, 90 of whom have already taken their own lives in jail. “Don’t wait for the ITV drama to cast you unfairly as uncaring, cold-hearted timewasters who left damaged people, many of them broken by the state, to rot away in prison while those in power stood by wringing their hands,” he said.
Despite the intervention, prisons minister and Labour peer James Timpson said the government will not support any form of resentencing, despite at least 700 IPP prisoners having served more than 10 years beyond their minimum term.
He told the Lords that inmates should work towards release through a refreshed IPP action plan, announced yesterday, which campaigners have dismissed as “not worth the paper it’s written on”.
Denne historien er fra November 16, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 16, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
How Littler giving it large made for unbeatable drama
Darts is riding the crest of a wave thanks to Luke Littler's unique blend of mesmerising talent and pure showmanship, and it's not slowing down in 2025
Champion Humphries loses to Wright in major upset
Reigning champion Luke Humphries was knocked out of the World Darts Championship by an inspired Peter Wright in a major upset at Alexandra Palace.
City finally end horror run - but bigger worries remain
It was a landmark occasion for Pep Guardiola. Not because he took charge of Manchester City for the 500th time, joining only Les McDowall in a select club, but because a manager who was a byword for winning actually won a game. For a manager with 39 trophies in his career, such results seemed routine.
Liverpool high-five as Salah inspires devastating display
Mo Salah proved his worth to Liverpool yet again as he inspired them to a 5-0 win at West Ham.
SIMPLY WED?
Two years after Abi Morgan's divorce lawyer drama reached. its finale, picking up with characters from 'The Split' feels like checking in with old friends.
From Avatar 3 to Superman, 25 big-screen treats in 2025
A bald Emma Stone, a mad Jennifer Lawrence and lots and lots of Robert Pattinsons lead our must-see movies for the 12 months ahead
Addams Family star was far more than his tragic death
Raul Julia's final film, 'Street Fighter', turns 30 this week.
Enjoy heart-healthy food
After his bypass, two-Michelin-starred chef Sat Bains tells Hannah Twiggs about his new cookbook and how simple, flavour-packed meals can help us live longer and better
Fishing for a new style in 2025? Try these on for size
After a year of clean chic, LED face masks and reformer pilates, Ellie Muir dives into the sublime and the potentially ridiculous lifestyle, wellness and fashion trends set to rule
At least 10 Taliban fighters are killed in ministry attack
At least 10 Taliban fighters were killed and five others wounded in a major attack on the group's ministry of interior in Kabul, as tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated.
