Two charities claim his plans to tackle the spread have been “too slow” to make an impact, making them “unlawful”.
The government says up to 4000 prisoners could be let out up to two months early to create more space, but on Tuesday 14 April 2020 only 18 had been released.
The government said it had robust plans in place to protect prisoners. But Labour’s shadow justice secretary David Lammy said: “Time is of the essence to prevent our prisons from becoming Covid-19 hotspots.”
By Wednesday 15 April, 232 prisoners had tested positive for Covid-19 across 60 jails in England and Wales. A total of 96 staff had also been infected to that date, with coronavirus detected in over half of all prisons across the two countries.
The Prison Governors’ Association has called for the prison population to be reduced by 15,000. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52329822