Labour failing woman and girls with early release scheme, former Home Office minister Jess Phillips warns
Former Home Office minister Jess Phillips has criticised the Labour government over Andy Burnham's early-release scheme, warning it undermines the party's pledge to halve violence against women and girls. Phillips, who resigned as safeguarding minister in May citing a lack of "gusto" from Sir Keir Starmer on the issue, said the government is "nowhere near" the level of commitment needed, and called on Burnham to exempt domestic abusers, particularly those guilty of coercive control, from early release. Her intervention adds pressure on the new prime minister over a policy already condemned by campaigners and the Conservative opposition.
Speaking on Sky's Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Phillips said fully implementing the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy could cut such violence by around 25%, and accused other government departments of deprioritising women's safety. The early-release scheme, aimed at easing prison overcrowding, could see more than 9,000 domestic abusers freed before completing their sentences, according to figures reported by the Daily Mail. Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns said more than 70,000 offenders have already been released early under the scheme and urged Labour to scrap it, while the Conservatives said they would keep dangerous offenders in prison and abolish the Sentencing Council.
In short
- Jess Phillips says Labour lacks commitment to halving violence against women
- She wants domestic abusers exempted from Burnham's early-release scheme
- Over 9,000 abusers could be freed early; Tories demand scheme be scrapped
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Prison overcrowding is a genuine systemic problem that undermines the functioning of the justice system as a whole, and early release schemes offer a pragmatic, evidence-based approach used successfully across many jurisdictions. Addressing capacity issues is essential for maintaining proper conditions and rehabilitation opportunities for all inmates, and comprehensive solutions require balancing multiple competing pressures within a constrained system rather than exempting specific offender categories, which could set precedents that complicate administration.
The case against
The government has made an explicit commitment to halving violence against women and girls, and releasing domestic abusers before they complete their sentences—particularly those convicted of coercive control—directly contradicts that pledge and risks enabling repeat offences against some of society's most vulnerable people. Alternative approaches to managing prison capacity exist, including sentencing reform and enhanced rehabilitation, and women's safety must be treated as a priority consideration that justifies exempting this specific category from early release schemes.
Explained simply
Domestic abuse can include physical violence and coercive control, a pattern of behaviour used to intimidate or control a partner or family member. The government has pledged to halve violence against women and girls, and Jess Phillips, a Labour MP and former safeguarding minister, has argued that this requires action across government.
Prisons in England and Wales are overcrowded, so the government has an early-release scheme intended to ease pressure by letting some prisoners leave before completing their sentences. The debate is over which offenders should qualify, including people convicted of domestic abuse.
The issue matters because early release affects both prison capacity and how long convicted offenders remain in custody. It has prompted disagreement between ministers, campaigners and opposition politicians about how to balance those concerns with the pledge to reduce violence against women and girls.