The date ‘two tier’ sentencing may worsen as sentencing recommendation activated | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The so-called “two tier” nature of the UK’s justice system may worsen at the start of subsequent month as new recommendation is rolled out. New steering for judges would urge them to take a prison’s ethnicity or faith into consideration earlier than sentencing them. This is because of come into power from April 1.

The pointers additionally state a pre-sentence report will normally be obligatory earlier than handing out punishment for somebody of an ethnic, cultural or religion minority, in addition to different teams, together with younger adults aged 18 to 25, girls and pregnant girls. The guidelines have been drawn up by the Sentencing Council – a non-departmental public physique. Conservative MP Andrew Snowden informed Sir Keir Starmer, throughout Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday: “In 20 days’ time new sentencing steering will come into impact that the Justice Secretary has already conceded might be two-tier in its nature.

“It will mean that the colour of your skin or the religion you have will give you leniency in the eyes of the law and will plunge public confidence in the judiciary into crisis.

“But it’s avoidable. We Conservatives have tabled a Bill that, if backed on Friday, can cease this steering in its tracks.”

He added: “Will he now overrule his Justice Secretary and make sure right here and now that he’ll again this Bill.

“Or will he simply step aside and prove that he has in fact been ‘Two Tier Keir’ all along?”

Sir Keir replied: “Everyone should be equal before the law, that is why the Lord Chancellor has taken up the issue with the Sentencing Council.

“But he must do his homework, as a result of the proposal that he complains about was drafted in 2024, and the final authorities was consulted, and once they have been consulted what did they are saying? They mentioned they welcomed the proposal.

“I understand that the shadow justice secretary is taking the Sentencing Council to court. Perhaps he should add himself as the second defendant so he can get to the bottom of it.”

Labour’s Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has criticised the brand new steering.