Victims of crime have accused ministers of making “cheap jokes” about releasing prisoners early after Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood were caught on camera “ribbing” about the scheme.
In a video, the new justice secretary, Alex Norris, can be seen walking towards Mahmood and Streeting, the new defence secretary, who can be heard calling Norris “the enemy now”, while Mahmood responds “no he’s not”.
Streeting says: “He wants to let them all out” – an apparent reference to the government’s plans for the early release of some prisoners, while laughter can be heard.
Streeting and the home secretary, Mahmood, have apologised for the comments caught on the hot mic, with each saying the early release scheme was a “serious issue”.
In a post on social media, Streeting wrote: “I hope everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new justice secretary – it was a reference to an old joke.
But I appreciate these are very serious issues and am sorry for any offence inadvertently caused by this moment of levity.”
The home secretary wrote: “I think everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new lord chancellor – a role I once filled and which comes with immense challenges thanks to the vandalism inflicted on our justice system by the last Conservative government.
But I appreciate this is an extremely serious issue and do not want anyone to mistake this moment of levity for a lack of serious intent.”
Ciara Bergman, the chief executive of Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: “Whilst we all make unfortunate comments from time to time, the early release of dangerous and convicted rapists and other criminals is obviously of serious concern for survivors.
For them, this is no laughing matter – in fact, it may be a matter of life or death.”
Jade Belgrove, who has waived her anonymity as a child rape survivor, said her life was on hold while she waited to learn when her abuser would be released.
“I am furious they think our pain is a cheap joke,” she said.
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“It’s just awful to be honest, we are made to feel like we’re considered a joke with this new law passing, then to actually see them on camera physically laughing at the pain we are facing just causes more heartbreak and embarrassment.”
Belgrove said she would also present a letter to Andy Burnham and Norris, highlighting victims’ fears.
“I want them to make the right decision and show us this is no laughing matter and reverse the law before it’s too late,” she said.
Earlier this week, Debbie Adlam, the mother of the police officer Andrew Harper, said the potential release of the men responsible for her son’s death was an insult.
“I’m thinking about my son every moment of every day, and then this,” Adlam told journalists on the scene.
“The insult is beyond anything able to be put into words.
It makes me feel sick.
Andrew’s life doesn’t get to come back.”
Heidi Alexander said it was right that Streeting had apologised.
She added that she had worked with Mahmood when she was justice secretary and said: “I know the seriousness with which she approached these issues.”
Hundreds of offenders will start being released early under the new Sentencing Act from September.
Unlike the emergency measures in the early months of the Labour government, in which tens of thousands of prisoners were released as prisons ran out of space, the new sentencing law includes no exemptions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism, and the early release of certain offenders is causing concern among victims.
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