Desperate to create the impression there are clear dividing lines between itself and Labour ahead of the next general election, the Conservative Party is increasingly trying to look ‘tough’ on crime.
Convicted rapists are to be the focus of the next such drive, according to reports. One Tory source told The Daily Mail that proposals are being drawn up to change the law so that criminals convicted of the most serious sexual offences cannot be released from prison early. This change has been “nailed on” to the King’s Speech in November, which is an opportunity for the government to set out its legislation programme for the next parliamentary session. It could also form part of a “major speech” on crime from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the coming weeks.
Details of the plan have yet to be released, but even without these it is reasonable to ask why now? The party has long painted itself as the one which responds to hideous crimes with proportionate punishments, but hasn’t thought to introduce this fairly basic measure in any of the last 13 years it has enjoyed in power.
And while some of the more right-wing papers have already brandished this news in a manner that suggests the plan will be watertight, it will be worth taking a closer look when the specifics emerge—for example, on who exactly the sentencing rules apply to, whether their full sentence lengths are long enough in the first place, and whether all this will be at the discretion of judges anyway.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for The European Conservative based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
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Why Now? Tories Talking Tough on Crime
Desperate to create the impression there are clear dividing lines between itself and Labour ahead of the next general election, the Conservative Party is increasingly trying to look ‘tough’ on crime.
Convicted rapists are to be the focus of the next such drive, according to reports. One Tory source told The Daily Mail that proposals are being drawn up to change the law so that criminals convicted of the most serious sexual offences cannot be released from prison early. This change has been “nailed on” to the King’s Speech in November, which is an opportunity for the government to set out its legislation programme for the next parliamentary session. It could also form part of a “major speech” on crime from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the coming weeks.
Details of the plan have yet to be released, but even without these it is reasonable to ask why now? The party has long painted itself as the one which responds to hideous crimes with proportionate punishments, but hasn’t thought to introduce this fairly basic measure in any of the last 13 years it has enjoyed in power.
And while some of the more right-wing papers have already brandished this news in a manner that suggests the plan will be watertight, it will be worth taking a closer look when the specifics emerge—for example, on who exactly the sentencing rules apply to, whether their full sentence lengths are long enough in the first place, and whether all this will be at the discretion of judges anyway.
Ministers last month failed to deliver on reforms for criminal sentencing, despite their lofty, conservative-sounding pronouncements. There is no reason to believe that this time will be any different.
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