Former Met Police officer Peter Bleksley and GB News star Martin Daubney have criticised new Sentencing Council guidelines set to come into force next month.
Speaking on the People's Channel, they argued the guidelines create a "two-tier justice" system that could allow defendants from minority backgrounds to receive lighter sentences.
The controversy has prompted Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood to threaten a review of the Council's powers.
Bleksley claimed the Sentencing Council operates with a "liberal groupthink" mentality.
Bleksley lashed out at the new guidance
GB NEWS
"They seek to try and find an excuse for any person, from any form of minor, to not be sent to jail," he said.
The former police officer added that the Council's "mask has slipped" with these new guidelines.
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He described the changes as "more of a charter" where "anybody from a minority, no matter what that may be, 'there you go, you will receive lighter justice'."
Martin warned the guidelines would encourage defence lawyers to exploit identity factors to reduce sentences.
"If you're a defence counsel and your clients are in court, you're going to be getting your violins out looking for any old jury to mitigate the sentence against your clients," he said.
"You're handing ostensibly a chance for lawyers to reduce sentences specifically by playing the race card, the gender card, the religion card."
Shabana MahmoodPA"You're handing two-tier justice out on a plate."
In a letter to the Sentencing Council chairman, Mahmood expressed her "displeasure" at the changes.
"As someone who is from an ethnic minority background myself, I do not stand for any differential treatment before the law," she wrote.
The Justice Secretary will now review the council's role and powers alongside an existing sentencing review.
She warned she would "legislate, if necessary" following the review.
Ministers currently do not have the power to overturn the guidance.
The controversy comes despite official figures showing that offenders from ethnic minorities consistently receive longer sentences than white offenders for indictable offences.
The new guidance would make ethnicity or faith a bigger factor when deciding whether to jail someone.
Martin Daubney said 'two-tier justice' will be 'handed out on a plate'
GB NEWS
Conservative shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has called the new rules "anti-white" and "anti-Christian".
He threatened to challenge the rules in court if the government does not act.
The new sentencing guidance emphasises the need for pre-sentence reports for judges.
These reports provide details on an offender's background, motives and personal life before recommending punishment and rehabilitation options.
Magistrates and judges will be advised to obtain these reports before sentencing someone from an ethnic or faith minority.
This would also apply to other groups including young adults, abuse survivors and pregnant women.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who previously sat on the Sentencing Council, has expressed concern about the guidance.
