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Victims of crime have accused ministers of making “cheap jokes” about releasing prisoners early after Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood were caught on camera “ribbing” about the scheme.
In a video, the new justice secretary, Alex Norris, can be seen walking towards Mahmood and Streeting, the new defence secretary, who can be heard calling Norris “the enemy now”, while Mahmood responds “no he’s not”.
In the recording, published by the news website Guido Fawkes, Streeting says: “He wants to let them all out” – an apparent reference to the government’s plans for the early release for prisoners, while laughter can be heard.
Streeting and the home secretary, Mahmood, have apologised for the comments caught on the hot mic, with each saying the early release scheme was a “serious issue”.
In a post on social media, Streeting wrote: “I hope everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new justice secretary – it was a reference to an old [Theresa] May/[Ken] Clarke joke. But I appreciate these are very serious issues and am sorry for any offence inadvertently caused by this moment of levity.”
The home secretary wrote: “I think everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new lord chancellor – a role I once filled and which comes with immense challenges thanks to the vandalism inflicted on our justice system by the last Conservative government.
“But I appreciate this is an extremely serious issue and do not want anyone to mistake this moment of levity for a lack of serious intent.”
In 2017, Theresa May said of the former conservative justice secretary Ken Clarke: “When I was home secretary, I used to say: ‘I locked ’em up and he let ’em out’.”
But victims have reacted angrily to the comments after the victims’ commissioner and the domestic abuse commissioner made a rare coordinated intervention to warn the government about the early release scheme, which they say will put abuse victims at risk.
Hundreds of offenders will start being released early under the new Sentencing Act from September. Unlike the emergency measures in the early months of the Labour government, in which tens of thousands of prisoners were released as prisons ran out of space, the new sentencing law includes no exemptions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism.
The victims’ commissioner, Claire Waxman, has written to Andy Burnham and Norris, urging them to look again at the early release scheme and make it the “number one priority in their inbox” as victims continue to learn of early release via letters.
Ciara Bergman, the CEO of Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: “Whilst we all make unfortunate comments from time to time, the early release of dangerous and convicted rapists and other criminals is obviously of serious concern for survivors. For them, this is no laughing matter – in fact may be a matter life or death.”
Jade Belgrove, who has waived her anonymity as a child rape survivor, said her life was on hold while she waited to learn when her abuser would be released. “I am furious they think our pain is a cheap joke,” she said. “It’s just awful to be honest, we are made to feel like we’re considered a joke with this new law passing, then to actually see them on camera physically laughing at the pain we are facing just causes more heartbreak and embarrassment.”
Belgrove said she would also present a letter to Burnham and Norris, highlighting victims’ fears. “I want them to make the right decision and show us this is no laughing matter and reverse the law before it’s too late,” she said.
Earlier this week, Debbie Adlam, the mother of the police officer Andrew Harper, said the potential release of the men responsible for her son’s death was an insult. Harper died after being dragged behind a getaway car while trying to stop thieves stealing a quad bike.
“I’m thinking about my son every moment of every day, and then this,” Adlam told the Telegraph. “The insult is beyond anything able to be put into words. It makes me feel sick. Andrew’s life doesn’t get to come back.”
Writing on social media, the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said: “While Andy Burnham’s cabinet are joking about letting criminals out of prison early, Conservatives are listening to victims and will continue to fight this disgusting policy.”
Speaking on Wednesday, the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said it was right that Streeting had apologised. She added that she had worked with Mahmood when she was justice secretary and said: “I know the seriousness with which she approached these issues.”
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