Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing a potential political crisis over the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, according to Professor Ian Acheson, a former prison governor.
Acheson suggests Burnham's initial reaction to the controversial policy may have been "political theatre" aimed at creating a crisis he could then resolve. The case has drawn widespread public outcry, with nearly a million people signing a petition organized by the Police Federation to block the release of Bowers and Cole. They were convicted of manslaughter for their role in the 2019 death of PC Harper, who was dragged to his death while responding to a quad bike theft. They were sentenced to 13 years and would be eligible for release after serving half their sentence.
Acheson draws parallels to the premiership of Sir Keir Starmer, who faced significant backlash early in his term over mass early prison releases orchestrated by the current Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood. The perception of Starmer being controlled by unelected officials, exacerbated by images of criminals released early, is cited as a factor from which he never fully recovered.
"For Burnham, I predict the political fallout of early releases will be orders of magnitude worse," Acheson stated. He argues that the public's patience is exhausted and that the idea of PC Harper's killers being released early is particularly offensive, especially given their manslaughter conviction rather than murder.
Downing Street has stated it is "pushing hard" on what more can be done but claims exempting specific offenders from early release is impossible. Burnham himself allegedly claimed that such an exemption would cause the prison system to collapse within months, a claim Acheson refutes.
Acheson points out that rapists and child sex offenders are already ineligible for early release, suggesting that creating a new exemption for those convicted of killing on-duty police officers or other emergency workers would not be unprecedented. He notes that Bowers and Cole are likely the only inmates in this category, and with 1,940 prison spaces currently available in England and Wales, the system is tight but not on the verge of collapse.
"Instead of finding reasons to justify the hated policy of slashing the sentences of criminals, Burnham should be pursuing every option to make our prison system more robust," Acheson urged. He suggests measures such as removing non-violent female offenders from prisons to free up space and staffing for other facilities.
Dartmoor prison, which has been empty for years, is highlighted as an example of underutilized capacity. Acheson advises Burnham to disregard calls for mass emergency releases from prison reform groups and his own party's left wing.
Ultimately, Acheson contends that Burnham must demonstrate to the public that he is in control, not merely a "puppet of the invisible bureaucrats." The Prime Minister has stated he is willing to "explore every option," but Acheson insists the only option that matters is keeping Bowers and Cole in jail for the full duration of their sentences to prove his leadership.