Keir Starmer Faces Major Crisis as Pressure Mounts to Make One Huge Decision

Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure over an overcrowding crisis in UK prisons, with calls for the Government to deport thousands more foreign criminals. The number of prisoners has hit a six-month high, despite Labour’s controversial decision to release thousands of inmates last year in a desperate bid to ease pressure on the system.

New figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show that the prison population has reached 87,556, leaving just 1,284 spaces available. With Prisons Minister James Timpson ruling out further early releases, the Government’s only hope of preventing total gridlock lies in sentencing reforms designed to send fewer people to jail, reported the Express.

Reform MP Lee Anderson didn’t hold back, warning that the country’s prisons are at 98% capacity, forcing the release of dangerous criminals. He pointed to foreign nationals making up a significant portion of the prison population, calling it a symptom of “unbridled illegal immigration.” He argued that tackling immigration and deporting foreign offenders should be a top priority to ease the crisis.

Official figures reveal that nearly 10,500 foreign criminals are currently behind bars in England and Wales. Shadow Prisons Minister Kieran Mullan slammed Labour’s handling of the crisis, saying the Government has failed to get a grip on the issue. He criticized delays in reducing the number of people waiting in prison for their court hearings and accused the Government of not doing enough to deport foreign offenders.

In September and October last year, 1,750 prisoners were released early under emergency measures, with some serving just 40% of their sentences rather than the usual halfway mark. The overcrowding crisis became so severe that, at one point, prisons were down to just 80 available cells, forcing police to consider halting arrests altogether.

James Timpson has confirmed that no further emergency measures will be introduced. However, David Spencer, Head of Crime and Justice at Policy Exchange, insists that prison expansion is urgently needed. He believes more criminals should be locked up for the harm they cause but warns that without more cells, the system is at breaking point.

Ministers were already forced to trigger Operation Early Dawn, a drastic measure that saw defendants held in police custody until a prison place was guaranteed before they could be taken to court.

Andrea Coomber KC, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said prisons have been under pressure for too long, and simply releasing thousands of inmates has only bought the Government a few more months. She argued that longer sentences have added unnecessary strain on the system, diverting resources away from crime prevention and victim support.

Former Tory Justice Secretary David Gauke, now leading Labour’s sentencing review, has suggested a radical new approach that could see criminals “released earlier” if they follow the rules and complete rehabilitation courses. He pointed to Texas as an example, where similar policies have reduced crime. He acknowledged that UK politicians have long pushed for harsher sentences, leading to the current crisis, but argued that rehabilitation-focused sentencing could help turn things around.

The Government has pledged to find 14,000 new prison spaces by 2031, but with MPs warning of “total gridlock” as early as 2026, the race is on to prevent the system from collapsing. A Public Accounts Committee report warned on Friday that the prison and probation service is now entirely dependent on uncertain future measures, including the independent sentencing review due this spring, to keep the system from running out of space.