David Lammy has acknowledged that he did not have all the necessary information regarding the mistaken release of a prisoner when he avoided answering questions during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Serving as Deputy PM in place of Keir Starmer, Lammy explained his decision to not elaborate further to MPs, citing the risk of providing incorrect information to the House of Commons and the public without having all the pertinent details.
During a heated exchange on Wednesday, Lammy, who also serves as the Justice Secretary, criticized the Tory government’s handling of prisons in response to questions from Tory MP James Cartlidge about additional mistaken releases of asylum seekers following the case of Hadush Kebatu.
After the session, it was revealed that another prisoner, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a registered sex offender, had been mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, prompting questions about Lammy’s awareness of the situation.
However, it was clarified that Kaddour-Cherif was not an asylum seeker as Cartlidge had inquired. The Ministry of Justice later disclosed that details were still emerging, including the offender’s immigration status, at the time Lammy attended PMQs.
Addressing the exchange at PMQs, Lammy stated that he had only been made aware of the situation on Wednesday morning and did not possess all the necessary information during the session. He emphasized the importance of having complete details before updating the House and the public on serious matters to prevent misinformation.
Following the revelation of Kaddour-Cherif’s release, another mistaken release involving William, known as Billy, Smith was reported due to a mix-up in sentencing information. Lammy, who took on the role of Justice Secretary in September, acknowledged the challenges Labour faces in addressing the prisons crisis.
Lammy highlighted the need to reduce the error rate in releases and acknowledged the systemic issues within the prison system that have persisted over generations, emphasizing the substantial task ahead in addressing these issues.