By Oliver JJ Lane October 2, 2026

Prison gates across England and Wales had a party atmosphere on Thursday morning, with some convicts calling out thanks to the Prime Minister for having slashed their sentences, as the first tranche of early release prisoners were turned out onto the street. The government claims the early releases are necessary because of decades of underinvestment in prisons in Britain, producing practically no new prison places during a time of massive population growth, and rising crime.