Prisoner release row proving to be Burnham's first big test as PM

Three weeks into his premiership, Andy Burnham has encountered obstacles, according to a veteran Labour MP, linked to the early release of certain prisoners. His political opponents are already sharpening their attacks, believing they have found an issue with which to unsettle a new prime minister who, until now, has displayed a deft political touch. Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "This the astur important determination Andy Burnham has made since helium became premier curate and he's got it wrong." For Labour MPs, however, this week has shown Burnham is prepared to face hard choices and take decisions which, as he said in his first speech in Downing Street, are "more astir occupation solving than constituent scoring". Burnham's first two weeks in office were relatively trouble‑free, featuring a series of announcements ranging from a cap on bus fares to a pledge to overhaul social care, accompanied by a blitz of social‑media videos intended to portray a relaxed PM focused on everyday issues. The overcrowding situation in prisons has presented him with a dilemma for which there are only unpalatable choices. Crucially, these are among the first hard decisions Burnham has had to make in office. The problem predates his arrival in Downing Street. In 2023, with jail space nearing its limit, the previous Conservative government began releasing prisoners 18 days early—a temporary measure. Just days after becoming prime minister in July 2024, Sir Keir Starmer had to consider a far‑reaching prisoner release scheme, saying "it is shocking for our state to have got into a situation where we have too many prisoners and not enough prison places". In January this year, Sir Keir's government passed the Sentencing Act under which approximately 1,000 prisoners will be released early starting this autumn, including some convicted of serious crimes.