Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has accused the Prime Minister of presiding over a two-tier policing and prisons system in a furious Commons clash.
Around 1,750 people were expected to be let out on Tuesday in a bid to ease overcrowding.
The Reform leader said at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs): “Yesterday we witnessed some extraordinary celebratory scenes outside Britain’s prisons, where in some cases serious career criminals were released. This to make way for, yes, rioters, but equally those who have said unpleasant things on Facebook and elsewhere on social media.
“Does the Prime Minister understand there is a growing feeling of anger in this country that we are living through two-tier policing and a two-tier justice system?”
Labour MPs heckled Mr Farage with furious shouts of “shame!” when he raised claims of two-tiered policing in Britain.
Mr Farage was among those who alleged police and the Prime Minister were dealing with some riotors last month more harshly than others, known as two-tier policing.
In response at PMQs, Sir Keir said: “I’m angry to be put in a position of having to release people who should be in prison because the last government broke the prison system. The prime minister was repeatedly warned that he had to adopt the scheme that we put in place. The former justice minister said if we don’t do it we will have to get down on our knees and pray.
“Police chiefs made it absolutely clear in a letter to him before the election that he needed to take action, saying they wouldn’t be able to discharge their duties and saying the risk was loss of an ability to detain suspects. That means an inability to arrest people committing offences.
“That’s how bad it was. They warned the leader of the Opposition that further delays until after the general election will increase the risks significantly. He delayed and increased the risks.”
Pictures showed groups of inmates walking out of Brixton, Durham and Liverpool jails. Around 400 prisoners are reportedly due to be freed from London prisons alone.
The latest releases are in addition to the around 1,000 inmates normally freed each week.
