When this Labour Government came into power just over a year ago, our justice system had been left at breaking point by the previous administration. It was less a system, more a patchwork of government-made chaos.
That is why I welcome the Sentencing Bill — a Bill that seeks to bring order to the chaos we inherited. A Bill that seeks a justice system grounded in fairness and reality. At the heart of that system must always be the victim. They are the ones who live with the consequences of crime. Therefore, punishment must be adequate to reflect that.
I welcome that the earned progression model keeps to this principle, and that it goes further — showing communities that justice is being done.
But the system must also recognise reality. The reality that most prisoners will one day re-enter society, and they must be ready to contribute to it. The reality that short sentences often do more harm than good. They trap offenders in a cycle of going in and out of prison, a cycle that costs the taxpayer an average of £53,801 each time.
That is why I welcome the reforms to suspended sentences and community orders, and the pledge to invest £700 million into probation services.
These changes can deliver a reality where punishment is still served, but reoffending is reduced, communities are made safer, and the number of victims decreases.
As a Member representing one of the largest prisons in the UK, I know how important it is to get this right. The communities I represent have been directly affected by the systematic failure of the justice system. But when we look to the future, I want them to be directly affected by its success.
A future where victims feel safe, knowing justice has been served. A future where offenders are punished fairly but also rehabilitated, ready to rejoin society. And a future where the justice system commands the confidence of the public — because it is working for them, not failing them.