Justice minister defends early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers amid possible legal challenge – UK politics live

The Thames Valley chief constable has said he is “receiving legal advice” and would “certainly consider” joining the Police Federation’s legal action over the possible release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.

Asked if he would join the case, Jason Hogg told the BBC’s Today programme on Wednesday:

This is something I certainly would consider. But like I said, I urge the government now.

I do think that the public opinion is overwhelming in this matter, but I think it’s unfair and I do believe confidence in the criminal justice system risks being damaged.

It’s right for the government to have a look at this matter.

He added that their possible release has had a “profound impact” on his force.

Good morning and welcome to the UK politics blog.

Ministers continue to defend the release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers as part of the government’s early prisoner release scheme, despite a potential legal challenge from the Police Federation.

Justice minister Jake Richards acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” of the deceased officer’s family but said “difficult decisions” must be made because law and order could “collapse” without a functioning prison system.

About ۱,۰۰۰ fewer prisoners will be released early after Andy Burnham’s intervention to exclude those convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming from the scheme.

Asked to respond to Police Federation chief Aileen O’Connor’s threat of legal action, he told Sky News:

Well, look, we understand that people are angry. The Harper family are, of course, angry. The police are angry too.

We’re angry that we’re in this situation where we face the unenviable position of having to make sure that we have a sustainable prison system, which is so vital to a functioning law and order system in our country, but also that we do right by victims as far as possible.

And the prime minister has looked again at the scheme. He said he wants to do more than he has been able to do, and that we wanted to take further action to try and ease the unimaginable pain that the Harper family are feeling every day, but we also have to balance that by ensuring that we have a functioning prison system.

He added:

Because without a functioning prison system, it means it’s difficult for police to make arrests, it’s difficult for our courts to try cases, and it could mean to the collapse of law and order in this country.

We cannot be in that situation, so that is the challenge that we face as government ministers and the prime minister faces ultimately.

Richards’ defence of the policy came as a Police Federation chief told Times Radio she feels “sick to her stomach” over the possible early release of PC Harper’s killers.

Aileen O’Connor, chairwoman of Thames Valley Police Federation, previously wrote in The Sun newspaper that the organisation “will throw everything at this through a proper legal challenge from KCs, barristers, you name it.”

She added on Wednesday:

I feel sick to my stomach, if I’m really honest with you. I’ve had a gut wrenching feeling in my stomach the past couple of weeks with this, and it doesn’t go away.

And arguably, I would say that many of my members across Thames Valley also have this gut wrenching feeling, even at the prospect of these two killers being released in the space of weeks, potentially.

In other developments:

• Ministers will scrap the requirement for companies to prove their green and progressive values before they are awarded government contracts, and instead ask firms to prove they will help young people back into work.

• Women should not feel pressurised into experiencing an “ideal birth”, the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals.

• An official investigation has been launched into charities in England and Wales donating funds to illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.

• Andy Burnham has inherited a Labour membership that is sceptical about increased welfare spending, supportive of higher defence spending, and ranks the climate crisis as one of the country’s biggest challenges, according to new polling.

• BP’s chief executive has urged Andy Burnham to make use of the UK’s oil and gas resources even as the oil company prepares to sell its North Sea business after ۶۰ years in the ageing basin.

• The Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has defended the selection of a former neo-Nazi activist as a candidate for a local election in Somerset despite him being jailed in ۲۰۱۶ after he was convicted of racially aggravated harassment of the former Labour MP Luciana Berger.

• Pupils in Scotland’s schools received their exam results this morning, with exam pass rates at all levels having risen this year, including a record number of National ۵ passes.