It is not acceptable to run a prison with insufficient staff, where prisoners can take drugs and threaten staff – Burgon

Richard
Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on press coverage of
problems at HMP Northumberland, said:

“While
conditions in HMP Northumberland will shock many people, it should come as no
surprise to this Tory Government – Labour has repeatedly warned them that this
is what is happening in prisons on their watch.

“The
Justice Secretary must set out the terms of the investigation she is conducting
into the running of the prison by Sodexo. She needs to set a clear deadline for
Sodexo to prove they can run HMP Northumberland effectively and warn that if
they fail to do so, HM Prison and Probation Service will.

“It
is not acceptable to run a prison with insufficient staff, where prisoners can
take drugs and threaten staff, and where core security functions don’t work and
where fences are cut and alarms fail.”

ENDS