Overview
- A hot‑mic clip obtained Tuesday captured Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood joking that new Justice Secretary Alex Norris “wants to let them all out” after the first cabinet meeting.
- Both ministers issued public apologies on social media with Streeting saying the remark referenced an old May/Clarke joke and Mahmood saying there was no ill intent.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the joking was not acceptable and that it was right those involved apologised.
- The comments focus attention on the Sentencing Act due to take effect in September under which about 6,000 prisoners could be released earlier, with violent and sexual offenders eligible at halfway and released prisoners subject to monitoring such as tagging.
- Opposition politicians and some media outlets condemned the exchange as insensitive to victims, families including PC Andrew Harper’s have voiced anger over possible early release for high‑profile cases, and the government has not announced any reversal of the policy.