Burnham warned running prison capacity near limit is ‘big risk’

U-turn on early release scheme will create ‘stresses and strains’ on prison system, says former justice secretary

Andy Burnham is taking a “big risk” by seeking to continue running prison capacity to the limit, according to the former justice secretary appointed by Keir Starmer to oversee a review of sentencing.

As parliament resumes on Tuesday, the government will confirm its U-turn on its early release scheme, which would have seen thousands of prisoners released early as part of a plan to ease prison overcrowding.