Andy Burnham vows to block PC Harper killers’ release

What Andy Burnham has promised

In a post on Facebook, Burnham said he had asked the justice secretary, Alex Norris, to fast-track a plan for presentation to parliament early next month to create “more headroom” within the prison system, as reported by the Guardian.

He said the plan would draw on options including increasing the removal of foreign national offenders to their country of origin and resolving the “long-running injustice” of IPP sentences.

Burnham said he understood “the depth of public concern” and shared it, an intervention widely read as a shift in tone from Downing Street, and the latest test of how Andy Burnham has led Labour since entering No 10.

"I understand the depth of public concern about the potential early release of those involved with the killing of PC Andrew Harper, and I share it," said the PM.

PC Harper’s family have long campaigned against the release, and his mother said a call with Number 10 had given them fresh hope, the BBC reported.