Shabana mahmood

Have Labour got a grip of the prisons crisis?

12 min listen

Labour are planning to publish a 10-year plan to get on the front foot when it comes to the prisons crisis. Shifting from the previous government’s preference to run the system hot to a policy of early release and carving out more places, the headline figure is that there will be 14,000 more prison places by 2031. But the fear today is that these won’t be enough to tackle the critical lack of space in UK jails. So, will Labour’s ongoing sentencing review advocate for greater leniency for certain offenders? And will the public see that as justice being served? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Danny Shaw, former

Michael Gove on prisons: Starmer is in the position of Bane

14 min listen

Another 1100 prisoners have been released today through the early-release scheme. How has this measure landed? With the news that former Conservative minister David Gauke will lead a review of prison sentencing, new Spectator editor Michael Gove joins Natasha Feroze and Katy Balls to discuss Labour’s long term strategy. Can Labour learn lessons from America? Produced by Megan McElroy and Patrick Gibbons. Join The Spectator’s Deputy Editor Freddy Gray for a special live recording of Americano on Thursday 24 October. You can buy tickets at www.spectator.co.uk/electionspecial.