Boris Johnson’s emergency anti-terror laws will be presented to MPs TODAY and crashed through Parliament by the end of the month to stop 50 terrorists from being automatically released halfway through their prison sentences
- Fast track anti-terrorism legislation will be introduced to parliament today
- It will stop the automatic release of terrorists halfway through their sentences
- Ministers want emergency laws to be on UK’s statute book by end of the month
Emergency anti-terror laws will be presented to MPs today as the government scrambles to stop violent offenders from being automatically released halfway through their prison sentences.
The new legislation will stop approximately 50 terrorists from being let out early with ministers hoping it will be finished and on the statute book by the end of this month.
The crackdown will make early release subject to the assessment of the Parole Board and no longer automatic.
Any offenders who are judged to still be a danger to the public will not be released.
It is part of a package of measures brought forward by Boris Johnson in the wake of the London Bridge and Streatham terror attacks.
Home Office minister Brandon Lewis confirmed the move yesterday, telling MPs: ‘This government will be introducing emergency legislation in Parliament [today] that will end the automatic early release of terrorist offenders without first there being a thorough risk assessment done by the Parole Board.
‘Those considered still a threat to public safety will be forced to spend the rest of the time in prison.
Boris Johnson, pictured in Downing Street on February 5, vowed to toughen up anti-terror laws in the wake of recent attacks in London
‘These changes will mean around 50 terrorist prisoners already serving effective sentences will see their automatic release halted.
‘We will not hesitate to take decisive action to ensure we do all we can to protect the public and keep our streets safe.’
The government is planning to fast track the Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Bill through the Commons this week, concluding all stages of scrutiny before MPs break for their February recess on Thursday afternoon.
Ministers then want the laws to finish their passage through the House of Lords by February 27.
However, the publication of the proposed legislation is likely to spark a major row and potential legal challenge from human rights lawyers who are expected to argue it is unlawful to change the terms of someone’s release from prison after they have been sentenced.
Meanwhile, Mr Lewis also hinted yesterday that the government is considering further anti-terror measures to bolster supervision of convicted terrorists after they have been released.
‘We are considering whether new legislation is required to provide additional reassurance when terrorist offenders are released from prison,’ he said.
‘There are a range of measures available including stringent conditions during post-release licence periods, notification requirements for terrorist offenders which only last year the government has already strengthened.
‘Serious Crime Prevention Orders were extended to terrorist offenders last year and they provide the police with strengthened powers to manage terrorists on their release along with terrorist prevention and investigations measures.’
It came as Mr Lewis was put under pressure by Labour over the timing of a long-awaited review of the government’s Prevent counter-terrorism programme.
Shadow home officer minister Nick Thomas-Symonds asked Mr Lewis: ‘In the last year, the government has appointed one reviewer, who has had to resign from post given previous views he’d expressed about Prevent.
‘And we are left today a year later without a reviewer in place. The minister is talking about decisive action, when will that reviewer be appointed?’
Mr Lewis replied: ‘The review will go ahead. The review will be completed in the timeframe the Government outlined, which was to be done before the end of August this year.’