Labour has blocked a Bill from Robert Jenrick that would have blocked new sentencing guidelines that will treat criminals from ethnic and religious minority backgrounds less harshly than their white counterparts. New guidance from the sentencing council last week – a quango – told judges that criminals “from an ethnic minority, cultural minority and/or faith minority community” should be specifically considered for pre-sentence reports, meaning they could be considered differently to white counterparts.
The hugely controversial new guidance also said pre-sentence reports, which are designed to “tailor” sentences most appropriate to an offender’s history and background, for example to deal with their drug addiction or homelessness, should be prepared if a criminal has declared they are “transgender”. Earlier this week shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick presented a bill to parliament that would have struck down this decision. Taking to the Commons, the top Tory said he was doing the Justice Secretary’s job for her as she’s too lazy to take action.
He fumed: “As [the Justice Secretary] been too lazy to do her job, I’ll do it for her. Today I am presenting a Bill to block these two-tier sentencing guidelines and to fix her mess. It’s here, it’s ready to go. Will she support it?
“Will she stand with us on this side of the house for equality under the law, or will it be two-tier justice with her and two-tier Keir?”
This afternoon, Labour blocked the bill from going forwards, sparking further fury from Mr Jenrick.
He blasted: “Labour has just opposed my Bill which would give the Justice Secretary the power to stop the two-tier sentencing rules. The mask has slipped. In just 18 days we are set to have a two-tier justice system because of Two-Tier Keir.”
Despite minister Shabana Mahmood’s opposition to the sentencing council’s new guidance, she is refusing to take swift action.
She said: “As someone who is from an ethnic minority background myself, I do not stand for any differential treatment before the law, for anyone of any kind. And there will never be a two-tier sentencing approach under my watch.”
She also accused Mr Jenrick of posturing and claimed he is merely trying to become the Tory leader.
This week top judges rejected claims they are creating a ‘two-tier justice system’ and slammed Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood after she demanded the arms-length body perform a major u-turn.
The council’s justices said they “do not accept the premise of your objection”, in a letter to Ms Mahmood.
