Starmer and Sunak clash on security and prisoner releases at PMQs

1. Keir Starmer challenges Rishi Sunak on the early release of criminals under a scheme aimed at easing overcrowding in jails
2. During PMQs, the Labour leader asks for a guarantee that no criminals considered high risk were freed early
3. The PM insisted no-one deemed a threat to public safety would be eligible
4. Sunak also uses his Commons exchanges to hit out at the Labour leader, saying that Starmer "won't back our plans on defence spending"
5. But Starmer tries to turn the tables on Sunak, suggesting that the early release of prisoners is hardly likely to make people feel more secure

That's all for this week

Johanna Chisholm

Live reporter

Though we didn't have anything quite so dramatic as a Tory crossing the floor (or vice-versa), today's PMQs proved to still be a rather eventful one.

Both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer seemed keen to bill themselves as the great defender on defence spending, whilst simultaneously attacking the other for being too complacent on national security.

But in case you missed any of that, you can read all about it here.

Today's page was written by Emily Atkinson, Emily McGarvey, Sam Francis, Aoife Walsh, Ece Goksedef and Joe McFadden and was edited by Nathan Williams, Marita Moloney and myself. Thanks for joining us.

Sunak and Starmer angling to be the party of law and order

Sam Francis

Political reporter

PA Media

We're going to be closing our page shortly, but in case you missed PMQs, the main point that you should be taking away with you this afternoon is that both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are now sparring to gain the title of Britain's party of law and order.

Starmer focussed his criticism on the government's plans to release prisoners early - questioning the security of such a move and claiming high-risk prisoners are going to be put back on the streets without proper planning.

Meanwhile Sunak fired back, arguing he'd improved the system left behind by the last Labour government and accused the opposition of not supporting his plans to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

Security and stability are often the top topics for voters. And both leaders are clearly aiming to position themselves as the guardian of Britain's safety.

The contours of both parties' campaigns at the next general election seemed to be defined in today's session.

BBC Verify

Tamara Kovacevic

Government is a third of the way to its prison places target

In 2021 the government announced what it called the “biggest prison building programme in more than 100 years”.

It said an extra 20,000 prison places would be delivered in England and Wales by the mid-2020s.

Earlier at PMQs, the prime minister claimed: “We are building the biggest prisons programme in history.”

We do not know if it is the biggest in history, but we know that, as of March 2024, only 5,856 places have been delivered - less than a third of the 20,000 target.

The government still says it will deliver a total of 10,000 places by the end of 2025. This includes a third new prison, which it says will be opened next year.

BBC Verify

Lucy Gilder

Sunak right that Labour released violent offenders early

As we mentioned in our previous post, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer clashed frequently during PMQs over the government's scheme to release some offenders from prison early - to ease overcrowding.

Sunak responded with this claim about Labour: “Their scheme let out thousands upon thousands of violent offenders."

He is right. Under Labour's scheme, between 29 June 2007 and 9 April 2010, 81,578 prisoners were released up to 18 days before their release date. Of those,16,335 were classed as violent offenders.

Under the Conservatives, some prisoners can now be released up to 70 days early - this does not include those convicted of serious violent crime, terrorism or sexual offences.

But we do not know how many prisoners have been released early nor what they were convicted of as the government has not published these figures.

What is the prisoner cover-up Labour is accusing the Tories of?

Getty Images

We heard Rishi Sunak earlier today being challenged during PMQs about the early release of dangerous criminals under a scheme that allows some inmates to be freed early in order to ease overcrowding in jails.

In recent days, Labour has accused the government of a "cover-up" over the scheme - saying there were cases where violent criminals had been released without a proper assessment of the risk they posed.

One report found a "high risk" inmate who posed a danger to children had his release date brought forward, despite having a history of domestic abuse.

The government insists no one convicted of a sexual, terrorist or serious violent offence would be eligible for early release.

• For more details on that scheme, you can read about it here

BBC Verify

Anthony Reuben

Starmer right about some prisoners 70-day early release

Throughout PMQs, we heard Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly ask about the government’s “decision to let prisoners out 70 days early”.

The early release scheme to ease prison overcrowding is indeed being extended to 70 days.

When it was first announced on the basis that “we must do whatever it takes to ensure that there are always enough prison places”, it let some prisoners out up to 18 days before their official release date.

It was supposed to only apply to “less serious offenders”, so excluded, for example, anyone serving a life sentence or anyone convicted for serious violence, terrorism or sex offences.

The early release was extended to 35 and then to 60 days in March 2024.

Last week, the government extended it further to up to 70 days from 23 May.

Party leaders spar over security - the key lines from PMQs

UK Parliament/PA

Prime Minister's Questions has ended for another week, with no defections this time but plenty of fiery exchanges between the PM and leader of the opposition.

Here are the key lines from today:

• Sir Keir Starmer pushed the PM repeatedly on plans to release some inmates early due to overcrowding in prisons
• He asked Rishi Sunak if he could guarantee that those being released were not considered high risk
• In response, the prime minister said those deemed a threat would not be put on the scheme
• Sunak focused his counter-attacks on security and defence, saying Starmer could not be trusted to keep the country safe
• Later, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn asked the PM to apologise for his "pathetic" comparison of the campaign for Scotland's independence to the Russian and Iranian regimes

• From the backbenches, we heard questions on the impacts of Brexit, NHS waiting lists, the Israel-Gaza war and violence against women and girls

That's a wrap on this week's PMQs

That wraps up today's session of Prime Minister's Questions.

Stay with us as we'll be bringing you more updates, political reaction and analysis.

Sunak: Government doing everything it can to get support to Gaza

PA Media

Staying on the topic of the Israel-Gaza war, Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, says hospitals and refugee camps in Gaza have been attacked and aid deliveries have been blocked.

She asks the PM why he "allows Israel to get away with it unchallenged".

Sunak says he supports Israel's right to defend itself, but that he is concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He says he's spoken to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu about his concerns, adding that action needs to be taken to get more aid in.

Sunak goes on to say the government is doing everything it can to get support to people in Gaza.

What would it take for the UK to end arms sales to Israel?

Next Labour MP Richard Burgon brings up the conflict in Gaza and asks: "What on earth would be enough to finally move this PM in the same position as the majority of British public and end arms sales to Israel?"

Sunak says that the UK government doesn't directly sell arms to Israel.

"We do regularly review advice to make sure it is in compliance with the international law and ministers act in accordance with that advice," he adds.

PM outlines plans to reduce NHS waiting lists

Tory MP Theresa Villiers urges the PM to redouble his efforts to grow the NHS workforce and get waiting times down.

She says there are more GP appointments than before the pandemic but people are still waiting too long for NHS care.

Sunak says the NHS waiting list has come down by around 200,000 since September, which he calls a success in light of the pressure from strike action.

The PM adds that the government's productivity plan will allow healthcare workers to spend more time with patients and the long term plan for the NHS will see more doctors and nurses trained for the future.

Will the PM offer guarantees to Welsh farmers?

Plaid Cymru leader Liz Saville Roberts is speaking now about the impact of Brexit checks and "harmful" trade deals on Welsh lamb and beef. She asks the PM to guarantee to Welsh farmers that he won't again sign a deal that threatens their interests.

In response, Sunak says Roberts should stop propping up the Welsh Labour government.

He says the Welsh Conservatives ensured there was a spotlight on Labour's proposals in Wales, which he says would have led to job losses and food insecurity.

SNP asks Sunak to apologise for 'pathetic' speech remarks

SNP calls for apology over Sunak linking Scots to Russia

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn is up next and accuses the prime minister of "actively comparing" the regimes of North Korea , Iran and Russia to "those in Scotland who believe in independence".

He calls on Sunak to "rise for once to the standards befitting his office" and disown the "puerile and pathetic remarks" he made in a speech on Monday.

"That's not what I said," Rishi Sunak responds. Though he says he stands by the suggestion that the SNP are a "threat to the unity of the UK".

"That’s their entire point," Sunak adds.

He calls on the SNP to “end the obsession with independence and put the people of Scotland first”.

Starmer turns the issue of security back on Sunak

Henry Zeffman

Chief political correspondent

Rishi Sunak opened this week with a big speech on security.

Sir Keir Starmer is using today’s PMQs to try to turn that theme back on the prime minister.

His questions are focused on the shortage in prison places, but the Labour leader is ending them by asking whether Sunak is making the country more or less safe.

The prime minister wants to talk about security in the terms he did on Monday: foreign affairs and defence. He demanded that Starmer match the government’s pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2030.

Labour have said they want to hit the 2.5% but have not specified a timeframe, saying they will get to that level when economic circumstances allow.

The economy is going gangbusters, Sunak says

Sunak responds by quoting his own pre-election speech from Monday, where he said that Labour have had 14 years to "think about nothing but the future", but have planned nothing.

He then turns to GDP figures before saying the economy is going "gangbusters".

'Doesn't the PM think he should stop issuing get out of jail free cards?' - Starmer

UK Parliament

In his final question, Starmer again hits out at Sunak's speech from Monday, criticising how the PM won't say how many prisoners have been released early, what their crimes are or what support their victims are getting.

"Doesn't he think that rather than confiscating lanyards like some jumped-up milk monitor he should stop issuing get out of jail free cards to prisoners and consider their risk to children?" Starmer asks.

Sunak defends government's prisons policies

Sunak says he's been crystal clear and there's a lock on the people who are put on the early release scheme.

The PM says under Labour, prisoners were let out without supervision. He says 16,000 out of 80,000 offenders let out were violent, which Sunak claims led to murders.

Sunak says the government is building the biggest prison system in history, and that the Tories understand the importance of prison.

He says Labour is soft on crime and criminals

Will Sunak back Labour's calls on domestic abusers?

PA Media

We return again to the Labour leader, who says that he's "glad to hear those on life sentences aren't being released early".

He then suggests that Sunak might not think releasing domestic abusers early from jail is a "problem", despite there being evidence that they are, citing the Lewes report, published on Tuesday.

Starmer asks the PM if he will finally change course and back Labour's calls to stop this.

Prisoners deemed a risk to the public won't be released early - PM

Sunak repeats that no prisoners will be released early who are deemed a threat to the public.

"Let's be crystal clear," he adds, explaining that the scheme "does not apply to anyone serving a life sentence, convicted of a serious violent offence, terrorism or sex offence"

Sunak goes on to say that Labour has previously "let out thousands upon thousands of violent offenders," and that the government has toughened up sentencing against those criminals.

Labour leader asks about risks to children

Starmer next asks: "Does the early release of stalkers, domestic abusers and those considered a risk to children sound like the work of someone who is making the country more secure?"

The Labour leader gives the example of a report into Lewes prison which says high risk prisoners are being released at short notice without sufficient planning.

The report says a high risk prisoner had his release date brought forward despite a history of stalking, domestic abuse and a restraining order, and says he was a risk to children.