Andy Burnham Pauses Early Prison Release Scheme After Public Backlash

Prime Minister Andy Burnham paused a proposed early release scheme for approximately 6,000 prisoners in England and Wales on July 23, 2026. The program, established under the Sentencing Act 2026, would have allowed inmates to be released after serving half of their sentences rather than two-thirds, with an initial group of 700 scheduled for release in September through a behavior-based earned progression model.

The decision follows significant public outcry, particularly from the family of killed police officer Andrew Harper, as two of the officer's killers were eligible for early release. Domestic abuse commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs welcomed the move, arguing it prevents dangerous abusers from returning to the community without survivor protections. Burnham stated that no prisoners will be released until an urgent review is conducted to minimize risk to the public.

Government officials and labor representatives have expressed conflicting concerns regarding the pause. Justice Secretary Alex Norris and Junior Housing Minister Sally Jameson noted the need for a timely review to avoid a total collapse of the prison estate, which may reach full capacity by November. Conversely, the trade union Napo warned that the sudden pause created a sense of chaos for probation staff, as pre-release risk assessments and tagging typically require six to eight weeks of preparation.