Sadiq Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretarycommenting on the second week in a row that prisons have been over 99% full, said:

“Last week the Government dismissed fears prisons were running out of places. But just seven days later, the population is up again and there’s even less space left.

“The incompetence of David Cameron’s Government has no limits. If he and Chris Grayling spent less time chasing headlines and more time doing the basics we would not be in this mess.

“Government assurances that there won’t be a crisis are wearing thin. The public want confidence that there’s sufficient space to lock up serious and violent offenders, and that taxpayers won’t be left with a massive bill for using court and police station cells because of Government incompetence. And with more prison closures in the pipeline, I’m very concerned that the situation could get worse over coming weeks.
 
“More than three years into this Government we are still waiting for the so called rehabilitation revolution and it’s not going to happen if police stations and courts are used to house serious and violent offenders.“