Lord James Timpson has resigned as prisons minister, the BBC has been told, stepping down after two years in a role that saw him oversee a controversial early release scheme aimed at easing a prison capacity crisis.
Appointed in July 2024 after leaving his job as CEO of the Timpson group – a business known for employing hundreds of former prisoners – his arrival was hailed as “radical” and “innovative” by some in the Labour Party. He entered Sir Keir Starmer’s government at a time when prisons in England and Wales were at crisis point, reaching almost full capacity.
“Prisons minister Lord Timpson resigns, saying he leaves prisons and probation in a healthier state.”
In response, Timpson oversaw the early release of tens of thousands of inmates to create more space. Critics say prisons remain violent, drug-infused and overcrowded, and that probation officers are still overworked. But figures show assaults on staff and self-harm in prisons are falling.
In a departing statement seen exclusively by the BBC, Timpson said it was an “honour” to serve. He did not give a specific reason for resigning, but it is understood he feels he has done as much as he can in the role. “I’m proud to have become the longest-serving minister in this role for 15 years,” he wrote. “I’m also proud that 75% of prisons and 90% of probation teams are now performing better than when I started. Self-harm, violence and assaults on staff are all down, and fewer people are leaving prison without a home to go to, a measure of dignity I care about deeply.”
He also highlighted the Women’s Justice Board he established, saying he believes “most women should not be in prison at all” and that diverting them away from custody was “one of the changes I’m proud to have achieved”.
His resignation comes before the Sentencing Act 2026 is enacted in September, when more prisoners are expected to be released early and more criminals will serve sentences in the community. Critics may question his timing. A Ministry of Justice source told the BBC: “We’re gutted he’s going but the new person is going to have their work cut out to get their head round what’s round the corner.”
