Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has publicly addressed the government’s prisoner early release scheme, signaling his intent to prevent certain offenders from benefiting from the policy. In a recent statement posted to Facebook, Burnham confirmed he has tasked government official Alex Norris with developing alternative plans to ensure that individuals convicted in the 2019 killing of PC Andrew Harper are not released early.

Burnham stated that he is “increasingly confident” that the government will revise the current framework to address these specific concerns. He acknowledged the significant public outcry regarding the potential release of the individuals involved in the Harper case, noting that he shares the distress felt by the victim’s family. The Mayor’s intervention highlights a tension between the government's current administrative approach to prison overcrowding and the political pressure to maintain longer sentences for high-profile crimes.

While Burnham frames the situation as a necessary adjustment to a rigid system, the report indicates that he is actively challenging the "system says no" bureaucratic response that typically governs such release schemes. The Guardian reports that Burnham’s efforts are focused on ensuring that the policy does not result in the early release of offenders whose crimes have caused deep public anguish. The government has not yet issued a formal response confirming the specific changes to the scheme, but Burnham’s public comments suggest ongoing negotiations behind the scenes to alter the application of the release criteria.