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A scheme to allow prisoners to be released early because of a lack of space has been extended indefinitely, Sky News can reveal.

Ministers have also expanded the number of jails letting out prisoners before the end of their sentence, according to leaked documents.

Originally, the early release scheme – known as the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) – applied to 21 jails, but has since been “updated” to apply in others.

The scheme, outlined in October, allowed prisoners to be released up to 18 days before the end of their sentence to reduce an “acute and exceptional demand” on prison places.

Guidance to prisons obtained by Sky News reveals the scheme has now been “activated for an undefined period”.

Officials insist this does not mean the scheme is permanent but have been unable to supply a date of when the ECSL will end.

They deny this marks a fixed alteration to the way they will manage prisons in the future.

The changes could allow more people found guilty of domestic abuse related crimes, among others, to be released early.

Those guilty of more serious offences, serving sentences of more than four years, are not eligible for early release.

‘Activated for an undefined period’

When introduced by the government, ministers stressed the ECSL was “temporary”.

But leaked documents of government guidance sent to prison and probation staff now says their scheme has been “revised”.

An “urgent contingency” scheme which is “now activated for an undefined period” has been “updated to facilitate/ support activation in new prisons”, the guidance says.

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Senior staff have been given escalation criteria to consider blocking inmates from early release. But the documents stress escalation should only be in exceptional circumstances.

The documents say: “As a general principle ECSL is an urgent contingency scheme to create essential prison capacity and, therefore, it is critical that it operates quickly to generate the required releases. Escalations to Capacity Gold to consider a delayed release should be exceptional.”

The change has caused anxiety in the prison and probation service, prompting fears that some prisoners may be released with sped up risk management processes or wrongly released early.

A source close to the scheme told Sky News: “The biggest practitioner concern is that it’s front-loading a load more work onto practitioners who are already massively over capacity.

“The problem with that is that’s when things get missed or things aren’t given the attention they need.”

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Life in women’s prison exposed

An early release scheme was used under a Labour government in 2007. The party is now calling for the government to be transparent about the terms this time around.

“This is extraordinarily damning – the Conservative government cannot continue to extend and expand indefinitely what is supposed to be a temporary scheme with zero transparency,” Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary, told Sky News.

“It is not a surprise to me given the scale of the government’s prison crisis that they have extended this scheme, but at the very least – they should acknowledge the public have a right to know about the details of this scheme, and Parliament has a right to know.”

But there are serious concerns about overcrowding in prisons, and some welcome the need for this scheme.

As of figures published on Friday, 87,973 people are currently behind bars in England and Wales.

The number of people that can be held in “safe and decent accommodation” in prison, known as the “certified normal accommodation”, or “uncrowded capacity” is considered by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to be 79,507.

That means the current overall system is at 110.6% capacity, or overcrowded.

‘Vital to reduce pressure on overcrowded prisons’

Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “We welcome the early release scheme the government has announced, as it is vital that pressure on overcrowded prisons is reduced as a matter of priority.

“It is unfortunate that the government has not acted more quickly to head off this crisis in capacity with sensible policy measures, but we welcome any move to reduce prison numbers and ensure that prisons can be safe and purposeful places where people can get support to move away from crime.”

The government claims that eligible offenders are only let out a matter of days early, face strict supervision and are subject to monitoring conditions, including wearing GPS tags, being subject to curfews, exclusion zones.

They can be recalled to prison at any point for breaching these requirements.

Despite claims the scheme is limited, the MoJ has not given details about how many prisoners have been released under the scheme.

A spokesperson for the MoJ said: “The terms of the End of Custody Supervised Licence scheme have not changed since it was announced in October.

“It is temporary and only used to relieve pressure in prisons where necessary. Only offenders who are a matter of days away from release are being considered and anyone convicted of a sexual, terrorist or serious violent offence is excluded, with those who break the rules facing a return to jail.”

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Palace confirms dates of Trump’s state visit – as King and Queen to host him at Windsor Castle

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Palace confirms dates of Trump's state visit - as King and Queen to host him at Windsor Castle

The dates for Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK have been announced, with the US president due to be welcomed by the King from 17 to 19 September.

Buckingham Palace also confirmed that President Trump and first lady Melania will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle.

It was expected that the three-day state visit would take place in September after Mr Trump let slip earlier in April that he believed that was when his second “fest” was being planned for.

Windsor was also anticipated to be the location after the US president told reporters in the Oval Office that the letter from the King said Windsor would be the setting. Refurbishment works at Buckingham Palace also meant that Windsor was used last week for French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.

This will be Mr Trump’s second state visit to the UK, an unprecedented gesture towards an American leader, having previously been invited to Buckingham Palace in 2019.

Donald Trump and Melania Trump pose with Prince Charles and Camilla in 2019
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Donald Trump and Melania Trump posing with Charles and Camilla in 2019. Pic: Reuters

He has also been to Windsor Castle before, in 2018, but despite the considerable military pageantry of the day, and some confusion around inspecting the guard, it was simply for tea with Queen Elizabeth II.

Further details of what will happen during the three-day visit in September will be announced in due course.

More on Donald Trump

On Friday, Sky News revealed it is now unlikely that the US president will address parliament, usually an honour given to visiting heads of state as part of their visit. Some MPs had raised significant concerns about him being given the privilege.

But the House of Commons will not be sitting at the time of Mr Trump’s visit as it will rise for party conference season on the 16 September, meaning the president will not be able to speak in parliament as President Macron did during his state visit this week. However, the House of Lords will be sitting.

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Labour MP: ‘Trump isn’t welcome here’

In February this year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer presented the US president with the letter from the King inviting him to visit during a meeting at the White House.

After reading it, Mr Trump said it was a “great, great honour”, adding “and that says at Windsor – that’s really something”.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a letter from Britain's King Charles as he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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In February, Sir Keir Starmer revealed a letter from the King inviting Donald Trump to the UK. Pic: Reuters

In the letter, the King suggested they might meet at Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland first before the much grander state visit. However, it is understood that, although all options were explored, complexities in both the King and Mr Trump’s diaries meant it wasn’t possible.

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This week, it emerged that Police Scotland are planning for a summer visit from the US president, which is likely to see him visit one or both of his golf clubs in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire, and require substantial policing resources and probably units to be called in from elsewhere in the UK.

Precedent for second-term US presidents, who have already made a state visit, is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.

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Fireball at Southend Airport after small plane crashes

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Fireball at Southend Airport after small plane crashes

A small plane has crashed at Southend Airport in Essex.

Essex Police said it was at the scene of a “serious incident”.

Images posted online showed huge flames and a large cloud of black smoke, with one witness saying they saw a “fireball”.

A police statement said: “We were alerted shortly before 4pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane.

“We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.

“We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.”

Fireball after plane crash at Southend Airport. Pic: Ben G
Image:
A huge fireball near the airport. Pic: Ben G

It has been reported that the plane involved in the incident is a Beech B200 Super King Air.

According to flight-tracking service Flightradar, it took off at 3.48pm and was bound for Lelystad, a city in the Netherlands.

One man, who was at Southend Airport with his family around the time of the incident, said the aircraft “crashed headfirst into the ground”.

John Johnson said: “About three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed.

“There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. All the kids saw it and the families saw it.”

Mr Johnson added that he phoned 999 to report the crash.

Southend Airport said the incident involved “a general aviation aircraft”.

Four flights scheduled to take off from Southend this afternoon were cancelled, according to its website.

Flightradar data shows two planes that had been due to land at Southend were diverted to nearby airports London Gatwick and London Stansted.

Smoke rising near Southend airport. Pic: UKNIP
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Plumes of black smoke. Pic: UKNIP

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said four crews, along with off-road vehicles, have attended the scene.

Four ambulances and four hazardous area response team vehicles are also at the airport, as well as an air ambulance, the East of England Ambulance Service said.

Its statement described the incident as “still developing”.

Fire engines at the scene at Southend Airport
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Fire engines at the airport

David Burton-Sampson, the MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on social media: “I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work.

“My thoughts are with everyone involved.”

Local councillor Matt Dent said on X: “At present all I know is that a small plane has crashed at the airport. My thoughts are with all those involved, and with the emergency services currently responding to the incident.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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Heidi Alexander says ‘fairness’ will be government’s ‘guiding principle’ when it comes to taxes at next budget

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Heidi Alexander says 'fairness' will be government's 'guiding principle' when it comes to taxes at next budget

Another hint that tax rises are coming in this autumn’s budget has been given by a senior minister.

Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was asked if Sir Keir Starmer and the rest of the cabinet had discussed hiking taxes in the wake of the government’s failed welfare reforms, which were shot down by their own MPs.

Trevor Phillips asked specifically if tax rises were discussed among the cabinet last week – including on an away day on Friday.

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Tax increases were not discussed “directly”, Ms Alexander said, but ministers were “cognisant” of the challenges facing them.

Asked what this means, Ms Alexander added: “I think your viewers would be surprised if we didn’t recognise that at the budget, the chancellor will need to look at the OBR forecast that is given to her and will make decisions in line with the fiscal rules that she has set out.

“We made a commitment in our manifesto not to be putting up taxes on people on modest incomes, working people. We have stuck to that.”

Ms Alexander said she wouldn’t comment directly on taxes and the budget at this point, adding: “So, the chancellor will set her budget. I’m not going to sit in a TV studio today and speculate on what the contents of that budget might be.

“When it comes to taxation, fairness is going to be our guiding principle.”

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Afterwards, shadow home secretary Chris Philp told Phillips: “That sounds to me like a barely disguised reference to tax rises coming in the autumn.”

He then went on to repeat the Conservative attack lines that Labour are “crashing the economy”.

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Chris Philp also criticsed the government’s migration deal with France

Mr Philp then attacked the prime minister as “weak” for being unable to get his welfare reforms through the Commons.

Discussions about potential tax rises have come to the fore after the government had to gut its welfare reforms.

Sir Keir had wanted to change Personal Independence Payments (PIP), but a large Labour rebellion forced him to axe the changes.

With the savings from these proposed changes – around £5bn – already worked into the government’s sums, they will now need to find the money somewhere else.

The general belief is that this will take the form of tax rises, rather than spending cuts, with more money needed for military spending commitments, as well as other areas of priority for the government, such as the NHS.

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