Stand together and tell the SNP it’s time to get tough on crime
THE SNP’s latest assault on our justice system is enough to leave you laughing or crying. Sadly, it’s the criminals who will be sniggering, while the rest of us feel like weeping in despair.
The Scottish Government’s extraordinary proposal, unveiled yesterday, could see prisoners released having served only one-third of their sentence.
It is the latest in a series of policies which prioritise criminals over victims and is a cynical and desperate attempt to empty prisons and release those convicted of serious crimes back onto our streets.
under the SNP’s current softtouch justice system, prisoners sentenced to four years or less are already released automatically halfway through their sentence.
This is despite Nicola Sturgeon previously committing to ending this policy when in 2015 she told the Scottish parliament: ‘Our objective remains to end the policy of automatic early release completely as soon as we are able to.’ Of course, the SNP reneged on this commitment, with former justice secretary Humza Yousaf stating: ‘Abolishing automatic early release for short-term prisoners is not the right thing at all.’
What, you might ask, is the right thing? Criminals sentenced to more than four years are already considered for release halfway through their sentence.
That’s bad enough but under these new plans, the time they will serve in prison could be slashed still further. For the victims of crime, it’s a slap in the face.
It is convicted killers, rapists, violent thugs and organised crime groups who will benefit the most from the SNP proposals as they make up the vast majority of people with sentences of this length.
At the bare minimum, it will enable these serious criminals to get out of jail eight months faster than under the current system.
The larger the sentence, the bigger this sentencing discount will be. Where’s the sense of fairness in that? How can victims feel safe knowing the person who committed a horrific crime against them can get out sooner than ever?
The proposals for criminals serving four years or less are even softer – they wouldn’t even have to earn their early release via a parole board. Bear in mind that people convicted of vile crimes such as sexual assault and attempted murder often receive sentences of this duration.
Other proposals give SNP ministers extraordinary executive powers to decide who is let out of jail and when. This should raise alarm bells over political interference at the highest levels of judiciary.
The Scottish Conservatives will oppose any attempt to further water down justice. Our manifesto commits to abolishing automatic early release for all criminals. We stand by that promise, unlike Nicola Sturgeon.
These changes are not reality yet – but these proposals have gone out to consultation.
YOU, the public, ought to have a voice in this debate. Alas, the SNP’s record on listening to the public isn’t encouraging. It ploughed on with its Hate Crime Bill despite unprecedented opposition and ignores the will of the majority of Scots who voted to stay in the UK by constantly threatening another divisive independence referendum.
But that tin-eared record won’t stop us opposing this proposal.
It is also important to show that the public will not put up with criminals getting ever softer treatment. I would urge everyone who feels incensed by these proposals to respond to this consultation. Let’s all stand up and tell the SNP it’s time to get tough on crime.