Burnham faces unpopularity test over prisons dilemma

In his early days as prime minister, Andy Burnham's ability to communicate effectively was put to the test when he faced pressure over the management of early prisoner releases. The Labour leader, known for prioritising policies that benefit the public, inherited an early release scheme from the Starmer government that he claimed was his first major political challenge.

Burnham chose to focus on the nature of the crime, insisting that certain offenders, including those responsible for violent crimes like rape and child sex offenses, would not be released early. However, this approach sparked controversy as it was revealed that two killers of PC Andrew Harper would still be eligible for early release next year.

The issue quickly became the first major test for Burnham's administration, which prides itself on effective communication. When mounting pressure from the public, media, and PC Harper's family led to a shift in position, Burnham stated he had not accepted that it was impossible to do more to prevent dangerous criminals from being released early.

He had been pushing for a plan to free up prison spaces since his first day in office. However, Downing Street initially suggested that no more could be done. The Ministry of Justice warned that allowing more prisoners to be released early risked prisons reaching capacity and collapsing. Burnham himself had pushed the issue to the limits of what was possible.

The Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, apologised to the families of victims, including PC Andrew Harper. The handling of the situation was deemed a "hash". Downing Street hoped that recent events would be remembered as Burnham forcing the system to do what he wanted, but there were fears the event might instead be seen as a misstep that left victims' families in anguish.

Although details of the government's plan to free up prison spaces remain sparse, it is clear that there will be questions over whether the proposed changes will create enough capacity in the prison estate. Burnham acknowledged that the difficulties surrounding this policy are not over, even with all the changes made.