Defence secretary Wes Streeting and home secretary Shabana Mahmood have apologised after being caught on a hot mic joking about the government’s early prisoner release scheme — with Streeting heard calling the new justice secretary “the enemy now”.
The video, published by the news website Guido Fawkes, shows Alex Norris walking towards Streeting and Mahmood. Streeting can be heard saying: “He wants to let them all out” — an apparent reference to the government’s plans to release prisoners early. Laughter is audible as Mahmood responds “no he’s not” to the “enemy” remark.
“Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood apologised after being caught on a hot mic joking about the early prisoner release scheme.”
Both ministers have since apologised, with Streeting attributing the comments to “ribbing” inspired by a 2017 joke from Theresa May about former Conservative justice secretary Ken Clarke, in which May said: “When I was home secretary, I used to say ‘I locked ’em up and he let ’em out.’”
“I hope everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new justice secretary,” Streeting wrote on X. “But I appreciate these are very serious issues and am sorry for any offence inadvertently caused by this moment of levity.”
Mahmood echoed the apology, saying the early release scheme was an “extremely serious issue” arising from “the vandalism inflicted on our justice system by the last Conservative government”. She added: “I think everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new lord chancellor.”
The comments drew immediate condemnation. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X: “While Andy Burnham’s cabinet are joking about letting criminals out of prison early, Conservatives are listening to victims and will continue to fight this disgusting policy.”
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said it was “right” that Streeting apologised, adding: “Those remarks don’t reflect the seriousness with which all of them will approach matters relating to public safety and the prison system.”
But victims of crime reacted angrily. The victims’ commissioner, Claire Waxman, and the domestic abuse commissioner made a rare coordinated intervention to warn the government that the early release scheme would put abuse victims at risk. Under the new Sentencing Act, due to take effect from September, hundreds of offenders will be released early without exemptions for serious crimes, domestic abuse or terrorism — a change from the emergency measures introduced shortly after Labour came to power in 2024, when tens of thousands of prisoners were freed as jails ran out of space.
At one point, the Prison Governors’ Association had warned that prisons were due to run out of space within days, prompting the government to act. Now, with a wider scheme about to begin, the question is whether an apology will be enough to reassure those most at risk.
