NEW EMBARRASSMENT FOR SCOTS TORIES ON PRISON SENTENCING – CLARKE SPEECH

NEW EMBARRASSMENT FOR SCOTS TORIES ON PRISON SENTENCING – CLARKE SPEECH

SAFER SCOTLAND WILL COME BY DRIVING DOWN REOFFENDING RATES

Annabel Goldie and the Holyrood Tories have yet again been left high and dry by their London party bosses says SNP MSP Stewart Maxwell, after the Westminster Justice Secretary Ken Clarke said there was no link between rising levels of imprisonment and falling crime since the falling crime levels were reflected in most of the Western world without rising prison populations.

In his speech Mr Clarke said:

“There is and never has been, in my opinion, any direct correlation between spiralling growth in the prison population and a fall in crime”

Mr Clarke has already signalled that he wants courts in England to impose fewer jail sentences of less than 12 months – a move which has undermined the Holyrood Tories who voted against a presumption against sentences of less than 3 months 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.

Ken 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 another embarrassment for Annabel Goldie and the Holyrood Tories, who have been left high and dry by Ken Clarke. With yet another statement from Mr Clarke that is at odds with the Holyrood Tories it has to be asked again if the UK Government even bothered to tell Annabel Goldie about Ken Clarke’s latest speech?

“Ken Clarke’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.
 
“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 the Holyrood Tories 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.”