Jo Stevens MP, Labour’s Shadow Prisons Minister, responding former prison governor Ian Acheson’s review into extremism in prisons, said:

“The urgent issue of radicalisation of vulnerable Muslim inmates and growing extremism in our prisons has been ignored by the Tories for over five years.

“During that period, the prison population has grown, thousands of prison officers have been sacked, violence is at record levels and our prisons are at breaking point. It’s little wonder overstretched prisons have been unable to address the problem.

“Last month, Michael Gove and NOMS, the National Offender Management Service illustrated their complacency in damning evidence to the Justice Select Committee.

“There were failures at every level to properly assess increasing extremism in prisons and to plan and equip prisons to deal with it.

“Today, after yet more Tory complacency, we finally see Ian Acheson’s report and recommendations, due to have been published five months ago.

“The report includes the obvious recommendation that a plan should be produced to counter extremism in our prisons. The Tories didn’t need to wait for a report to tell them that. Labour has been telling them for a long time.”