EMBARRASSMENT FOR ANNABEL GOLDIE ON PRISON SENTENCING – CLARKE SPEECH

EMBARRASSMENT FOR ANNABEL GOLDIE ON PRISON SENTENCING – CLARKE SPEECH

SAFER SCOTLAND WILL COME BY DRIVING DOWN REOFFENDING RATES

Annabel Goldie and the Holyrood Tories have been left high and dry by their London party bosses says SNP MSP Stewart Maxwell, after the Westminster Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke signalled that he wants courts in England to impose fewer jail sentences of less than 12 months – when the Scots Tories are set to vote against a presumption against sentences of less than 3 months today in the Scottish Parliament!  Mr Clarke’s plans for south of the Border could include a big reduction in jail sentences of less than a year – a much greater move than the SNP Government’s proposals.

Kenneth Clarke’s move also leaves Labour in Scotland as the most right-wing and out of touch party on law and order issues.

Commenting Mr Maxwell – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee – said:

“This is an incredible embarrassment for Annabel Goldie and the Holyrood Tories, who have been left high and dry by Kenneth Clarke.  The question has to be asked if the UK Government even bothered to tell Annabel Goldie about Kenneth Clarke’s speech – being delivered on the very same day as the key votes on the Criminal Justice Bill on short sentences.

“The UK Government’s move also exposes Labour in Scotland as the most right-wing and out of touch party on law and order issues – Labour backbenchers were already deeply uncomfortable with Richard Baker’s inept, hard right approach to the justice brief.

“Kenneth Clarke’s speech will cause both Tory and Labour MSPs to squirm with embarrassment on the Holyrood benches.

“The Tories – and Labour – have spent the last three years supporting taxpayers money being wasted on free bed and board for people who should be paying back their debts to society through hard work.  Their position increases reoffending and doesn’t create a safer Scotland.

“Instead of indulging in ill-informed posturing, it is about time that Annabel Goldie showed some leadership for once and provided some positive answers on what they would do about sentencing – as Ken Clarke has done for the Tories in England.

“To date we have heard nothing but cheap sound bites – which have just turned to ash in their mouths.”