Once again the Labour government’s incompetence is laid bare for all to see. This time, it is not just incompetence—it’s a matter of public safety. Their decision to release prisoners early, under the pretext of managing prison overcrowding, is not only dangerous but utterly irresponsible. More disturbingly, Labour has the audacity to lie about the nature of those being released, further deepening the betrayal of the British people.

Let’s be clear: early release is not a new tactic. But what is happening now under Labour’s watch is unprecedented in its scope and its callous disregard for public safety. Labour had assured us that violent offenders would not be considered for early release. Yet, within days, we discovered that violent criminals will be walking free. Once again, Labour lied. They have thrown the public under the bus in their desperate attempt to cover up their disastrous prison management policies.

Criminals will Reoffend

Reoffending rates in this country are already a damning indictment of our justice system, and releasing prisoners early only exacerbates the problem. Labour’s policy ignores the basic reality that many of these criminals are simply not ready to reintegrate into society. The government’s insistence on releasing offenders early is nothing more than a ticking time bomb.

What’s worse is Labour’s utter lack of accountability. When faced with criticism, their response is to double down, claiming that these measures are necessary to address overcrowding. But the truth is clear—this is a policy of laziness, not necessity. Instead of investing in more prisons or tackling the root causes of crime, Labour is taking the easy way out. They are gambling with the safety of the British public, and we are already seeing the consequences of that decision.

Was this Decision Really a Last Resort?

There are alternatives to this disaster. The government could, for instance, invest in more prison capacity, something they have been woefully reluctant to do. Deport the huge number of foreign prisoners. Ensuring that offenders are properly rehabilitated before being released. But no, Labour would rather take the path of the least effort, regardless of the cost to society.

Labour’s approach during the recent unrest was heavy-handed, doling out severe punishments to seemingly minor offences, such as posting on Facebook and standing too near to a riot, to appear tough on crime. And now, mere months later, they are swinging the pendulum entirely the other way, releasing violent criminals into society without a second thought. It is a complete and utter contradiction, an abandonment of any consistency or principle. The hypocrisy is galling. When it suits them, Labour is all too willing to throw the book at minor offenders—yet when it comes to violent criminals, they suddenly find their conscience. This is not a government that cares about law and order; this is a government that has lost control of it.

Labour Is Doing What We All Expected

Labour’s soft-on-crime agenda is nothing new. But this latest fiasco is an escalation of their long-standing refusal to take public safety seriously. We have seen this time and time again from the left: the rights of criminals are prioritised over the rights of victims. Early release is just the latest manifestation of this mentality. But the British people deserve better. We deserve a government that will stand up for the law-abiding majority, not bend over backwards to accommodate the criminal few.

Keir Starmer’s Labour is proving once again that they are incapable of ensuring the safety and security of the public. And they have the gall to lie about it, to pretend that violent offenders are not among those being released. This isn’t just a failure of policy—it’s a failure of basic decency and integrity. Labour cannot be trusted to govern, and this latest debacle is proof of that.