Former Margaret Thatcher Piers Pottinger has called for a new strategy on prisons amid fears the system could “collapse”.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmoud warned on Friday that immediate action must be taken to address overcrowding, with prisons potentially running out of space within weeks.
Speaking on GB News, Pottinger said one way to go about fixing the flawed system is deporting foreign criminals.
“It’s an absurd situation, a long term solution is needed”, he said.
Piers Pottinger spoke on GB News
GB NEWS
“The sad thing is, there are no votes in helping out prisoners and there is hardly any rehabilitation.
“One thing we could do which Labour has not mentioned is simply deport foreign criminals, of which there are a large amount.
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“We should deport them back to their own countries instead of let them clog up our own prisons.”
It was then pointed out by Anne Diamond that human rights lawyers are likely to stand in the way of such an act, an argument acknowledged by Pottinger.
But he feels the Government would eventually be able to get their way if they wanted to take that course of action.
“If you stand up to human rights lawyers, eventually you can do it”, he said.
Shabana Mahmood has warned the prison system is on the verge of collapse
GB NEWS
“There is no reason why we can’t deport them. It’s nothing to do with human rights, they are convicted criminals.
“I think we should take a stronger view on that. We are going to get criminals on the streets who will undoubtedly offend again.
“If the situation is as bad as the minister says, there is no option at the moment.”
Mahmood said the issues prisons are faced with are down to the previous government.
Piers Pottinger spoke to Stephen Dixon and Anne Diamond on GB News
GB NEWS
She said: “Those responsible – Sunak and his gang in Number 10 – should go down in history as the guilty men. The guilty men who put their political careers ahead of the safety and security of our country.
“It was the most disgraceful dereliction of duty I have ever known.”
If prisons ran out of cell space, she warned, the country faced the prospect of “van-loads of dangerous people circling the country with nowhere to go”.
Mahmood said: “The police would have to use their cells as a prison overflow, keeping officers off the streets. Soon, the courts would grind to a halt, unable to hold trials.
“With officers unable to act, criminals could do whatever they want, without consequence. We could see looters running amok, smashing in windows, robbing shops and setting neighbourhoods alight.
“In short, if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order.”