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McLeish hits out at Labour 'nonsense' on prison sentencing

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Published Date: 06 July 2009
By Andy Philip
FORMER first minister Henry McLeish today accused his party of talking "nonsense" over plans to overhaul prison sentencing.
He said Labour is misleading the public over Scottish Government plans to cut the number of short jail terms.

The criticism came as a report on English penal reform, led by Cherie Blair, QC, wife of former Labour prime minister Tony Blair, highlig
hted a "courageous lead" to tackle overcrowding in Scottish jails.

Mr McLeish had already set out proposals to replace short sentences with tougher community punishment as part of a commission for the SNP government. But Labour and Conservative MSPs have claimed that violent criminals will dodge jail under the plans – a position rejected by Mr McLeish.

He said: "It's manifestly nonsense. The prisons commission report was widely received and welcomed by most sections of Scottish society. The recommendations were evidence-based.

"The issue about six-month sentences has been taken massively out of context by Labour and Tories. We said there was a presumption against six-month sentences but the bench will still retain total discretion about sentencing."

He said anyone guilty of offences such as serious assault and attempted murder should be given longer sentences, while less serious crimes would be punished through tougher community sentences.

Mr McLeish, who led the Labour-Liberal Democrat executive at Holyrood in 2000-1, said: "The criticism from Labour and Tories doesn't add up."

But Labour community safety spokesman Paul Martin said: "There is nothing progressive about a policy that is dangerous, underfunded and would allow violent criminals back onto our streets."

He claimed justice secretary Kenny MacAskill was effectively issuing a "get out of jail" card.





The full article contains 283 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

Tracker,

06/07/2009 00:20:47
No one wants a violent criminal to escape a prison sentence - but that is exactly what will happen. Thugs will be made to work in the community and the public will naturally assume the worst: that they are extremely dangerous criminals. If they cannot be distinguished from other workers, then honest workers may be wrongly stigmatized as criminals.
2

drunken proffet,

Tassy 06/07/2009 00:27:00
Now if you included building railways as part of community service that would be the end of a perfect day. Six months of hard work, good pay that goes to the wife and family, and supervised of course by the rail laying members of the Railways Union. Satellite tags that double as MP3 players, we have the technology.
3

Gregor Addison,

Glasgow 06/07/2009 00:55:15
Henry McLeish is missing the point, isn't he? It's not about policy, it's about having a handy user friendly public phrase that will get headlines and cover up for a lack of well thought out policy: like "get out of jail free card". That's a good one! Oh, it's been done already.
4

Brianwci,

06/07/2009 01:31:28
So, once again the much maligned Kenny MacAskill is on the right track. Dearie me will it never end?

The Labour Party Brit Nats want to pay more attention to Henry McLeish and a bit less to Jim Murphy.
5

redcliffe62,

06/07/2009 01:34:34
henry had a few expenses matters, far less than what is happening in wastemonster, but the guy was always capable of seeing two different points of view.
6

donald,

glasgow 06/07/2009 03:27:07
Henry was set up and hung out to dry by the Unionist Labour Mafia.
7

The Saltire,

06/07/2009 08:18:43
It never ceases to amaze me that those above the law always seem to be concerned about how everybody else behaves under the law. Maybe if our politicians were subject to the same laws as everybody else then I would have more respect for their opinions on it.
8

Herry Oaksters,

06/07/2009 08:19:17

Labour dont do anything other than spew out total nonsence.
So why is this news?
9

,

06/07/2009 09:55:58
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
10

hoblar,

06/07/2009 10:32:44
the dire labourtory opposition show themselves to be negative and corny at the same time.

"get out of jail free card".....man, anybody would think that labour and the tories didn't know that THEY have been responsible for the vast bulk of crime legislation over the last 100 years.

The approach by the Scottish Government, doing things rather than coming up with corny well worn rhetoric, is one that will see them succeed where the unionist efforts failed.
11

frank mcbride,

lusitania 06/07/2009 11:17:12
There must be a form of political insanity that affects NuLab and Tory politicians, if their utterances are to be believed.

Paul Martin (NuLabour) said, ""There is nothing progressive about a policy that is dangerous, underfunded and would allow violent criminals back onto our streets."

This echoes statements previously made by Tory MSPs.

The stange, and worrying, aspect to this statement is that is in direct contradiction - you see where I perceive insanity, to the Legislation passed by the Tories and continued by NuLabour which mandates the early release of this very type of prisoner.

Under the current Legislation, most violent criminals are released after serving less than half of their allotted sentence.

The question that should be asked is, "why is selective amnesia so prevalent among NuLabour and Tory politicians?".
12

El Franko,

06/07/2009 12:17:48
The poor judges and sheriffs. Keen to keep their gravy train rolling, they did what the government asked - shorter sentences for everything. But the recidivism is still bad, possibly even worse. So let's blame that on the shorter sentences! So now, let's abolish the shorter sentences - what effect will this have on the recidivism statistics? Who knows? Who cares? Victims for one. But of course, the more recidivism, the better it is for the gravy train. So while the judges and sheriffs might be a little peeved, they can rest assured that what really matters - their 'busyness' will continue.
13

Arfur,

06/07/2009 12:20:07
What the unionists are too thick to realise is that if a judge decides someone deserves a prison sentence he will have to give at least 6 months i.e tougher sentences to those who deserve it while sorting out the prison crowding problem.

This kind of thing is just too clever for them so they have to default to the uurrgggghhh urrrggghhh SthNP bad, what ma daddy voted for good.
14

drunken proffet,

Tassy 06/07/2009 13:10:51
Arfur, you an me reckon the real crims should be shut away until they die, from the economical point of view sooner rather than later. The judges reckon that given a bit of leaway, the less evil miscreants would be better off enduring serious community service rather than joining the University of the Crims. Not too difficult to understand, however living in Tasmania and being on the outside looking in, it is not too difficult to sympathise with those Scots who still have not got a grip with the 21st century.
15

connaughtboy,

stonehaven 06/07/2009 14:21:00
14 arfur

You hit the nail on the head.

Also, we will see less (or no) people being jailed for trivial things like non-payment of bills etc.
16

frank mcbride,

lusitania 06/07/2009 15:06:04
#13, El Franko.

You sure are a clear thinker, bud.

One could be persuaded to become a suicide bomber after listening to your rhetoric.
17

El Franko,

06/07/2009 15:32:40
#17, thanks! I liked your first remark.

If you are going to explode, please remember to do so far away from others. Basic Health and Safety, as I am sure you know.
18

buzzer,

Aberdeen 06/07/2009 16:01:24
Drunken Profet 2# Most ex-offenders I work with would jump at the chance to work on the railway supervised or otherwise. The key to rehabilitation is to keep young people engaged and rewarded with work they can
ably do.

Welfare benefits is maintain a dependency on the state which leads to boredom and then to petty crime. Keep young people out of jail and give them work they are to do and we will see less going back to prison. Despite the criticism from intellectual giants such as Paul Martin and Richard Baker the Justice Secretary is doing very well in an attempt to halt the overcrowding in our prison.
19

connaughtboy,

stonehaven 06/07/2009 16:05:28
Even their own ex FM thinks Labour spouts nonsense.

Grim days for them.
20

IainGlasgow,

06/07/2009 18:31:13
#6

Unlike the Common Purpose drones who have succeeded him as Scottish Labour leader, Henry McLeish actually has vision for Scotland. His constituency office scandal was a non-story compared with the level of corruption that has since transpired in the Labour Party
21

,

06/07/2009 18:42:25
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
22

El Franko,

06/07/2009 19:20:45
A bit off topic, #21-#22, but I do agree. The one thing that appealed to me about the Scottish parliament was the increased exposure it would give to the astonishing fauna of the Labour party in Scotland. It has been doing that nicely, and I was sorry to see that this achievement was not highlighted as a major part of the 10-years down the drain celebrations.
23

Officer Romurai,

07/07/2009 08:02:45
A politician that is at least trying to do the will of the Scottish people above his party.

Fair play for at least attempting to be honest and not just this Labour "No" at all costs approach.

REAL Labour needs to get a backbone and take back it's party from this bunch or middle class charlatans that have used it to further their own careers.
24

ukrefusenik,

camelon 07/07/2009 16:31:26
bungalow bill should be sent down , whats that ? he hasnt done anything . neither had T C CAMPBELL or JOSEPH STEEL . so given our track record , whats to stop us making that wee bam share a cell with paul martin , six months each i reckon , and no early release

 

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