Early release scheme not Labour's fault, says Lammy – as 'naive' ministers accused of 'rookie errors'

The early prisoner release scheme is not Labour’s fault, the foreign secretary has said, as the Tories accused the government of making “rookie errors”.

Following the early release of 1,750 prisoners this week to alleviate overcrowded prisons, a prisoner was accused of assaulting a woman on the same day he was freed. He has been charged and recalled to prison.

The government had said terrorists and convicted sex offenders were not among those being released.

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Asked if the decision to release prisoners early was the right choice, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said Labour was forced into it.

He told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “What we have inherited is an absolute disgrace.

“It’s a disgrace that, frankly, our prisons are in such a state, prisoners, so absolutely full to the brim.

“Of course, we’ve had to have an early release scheme ensuring that you’re not releasing the worst offenders, that there’s proper consideration.

“There’s good work, with the probation service.

“That is what you’d expect responsible government to do.”

However, shadow home secretary James Cleverly said his Conservative government would not have done the same to alleviate overcrowded prisons.

“We’ve seen this for the winter fuel allowance and the prisoner release scheme,” he said.

“These are rookie errors by an arrogant and inexperienced government.”

Mr Cleverly said the Conservative government deported foreign national offenders to keep “hundreds of prison places available”.

He accused the new Labour government of pandering to civil service suggestions they also gave his government.

“Civil service have presented the neat and tidy answer that they wanted, which we could see was wrong,” he said.

“And again, this naive and inexperienced government went for it.

“And we’re now seeing the consequences with sexual offenders where, domestic abusers, career criminals are being released in huge numbers and it’s backfired, which is why we had said no to it.”