Andrew Harper and his wife, Lissie, who has raised concerns about the potential early release of his killers. Photograph: Courtesy of Lissie Harper View image in fullscreen Andrew Harper and his wife, Lissie, who has raised concerns about the potential early release of his killers. Photograph: Courtesy of Lissie Harper Prisons and probation Burnham stirs up political row with review of release plans for violent criminals PM says he wants to ensure ‘everything has been looked at’ amid outrage at policy from family of PC Andrew Harper
Prefer the Guardian on Google Andy Burnham is immersed in a deepening political row after ordering a review of plans for the early release of thousands of killers, rapists and sex offenders from prison in September.
After the family of PC Andrew Harper expressed outrage that his killers may be eligible for release, the prime minister responded by pledging to make sure that “everything has been looked at again” before a fresh tranche of about 6,000 offenders were freed on tags.
But soon after Burnham’s comments, prison reform groups, government officials and politicians warned that abandoning measures to ease jail overcrowding could lead to the criminal justice system “collapsing under its own weight”.
Burnham has intervened quickly on policy issues just a few days into his premiership, including by indicating a possible increase in the personal allowance on income tax, which has been frozen since 2022.
Attempting to clear up confusion, he said there was no “commitment” to increase the allowance from £12,570 but the move would be considered at the budget, expected in the autumn.
“I want to answer questions honestly in this job, as I said before. I think that’s all about trust in politics and doing politics differently, and I’m determined to keep working in that way,” he said.
New sentencing laws were passed under Keir Starmer’s government to ease a looming prison overcrowding crisis that ministers said could seize up the criminal justice system in November.
View image in fullscreen Jessie Cole (left) and Albert Bowers were convicted of manslaughter in 2020 over the death of PC Andrew Harper. Photograph: Thames Valley Police/PA Unlike previous emergency measures under which tens of thousands of prisoners were released in the early months of Starmer’s government, the Sentencing Act includes no exemptions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism.
PC Harper was 28 when he sustained fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the vehicle and both 17 at the time, were sentenced to 13 years in custody for manslaughter but may be eligible for early release under the new Sentencing Act.
His widow, Lissie Harper, successfully campaigned for legal changes, called Harper’s Law, to bring in harsher sentences for the manslaughter of emergency workers on duty.
In a statement, she said: “When I fought for Harper’s Law, I was supported not only by the Conservative government of the day but by the Labour party too. They pledged to support our cause and agreed that those who kill emergency workers should face tougher sentences because some crimes are so grave they demand meaningful punishment.
“That cross-party support helped make Harper’s Law a reality. Today, it feels forgotten.”
Asked to respond to the Harper family’s comments, Burnham said he would examine the plans with the ju…