David Lammy laid bare the Tory hypocrisy over the accidental release of prisoners, highlighting the numerous times it happened on their watch.
The story that has dominated the news in recent days is that of the mistaken release of convicted sex offender Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu.
The Ethiopian national and former asylum seeker, whose crimes sparked the asylum hotel protests in Epping, was jailed for 12 months in September. But on Friday, Kebatu was accidentally was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford, before being arrest for a second time on Sunday in Finsbury Park.
Speaking in the Commons on Monday, justice secretary David Lammy said Kebatu’s accidental release was due to what appeared to be human error, and confirmed an independent investigation would be launched to establish the facts of his release.
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His opposite number Robert Jenrick had labelled the incident a national embarrassment, but Lammy was having none of it, highlighting the Tories’ dreadful handling on prisons.
In a searing rant, Lammy pointed out how levels of violence, self harm and drug abuse all went up in prisons under the Tories whilst prison officer numbers were cut.
“And he comes here with the brass neck, has the brass neck, to give the impression this started 14 months ago,” Lammy said.
He then listed Lammy the numerous times rapists were accidentally released under the previous Tory government and how not once had they launched an independent investigation.