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A man who has been serving a controversial indefinite prison sentence is set to reunite with his son after 12 years apart.

Thomas White, who was handed an IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentence in 2012 for stealing a mobile phone, has not seen his son, Kayden, since he was nine months old.

White, 40, was handed a two-year minimum jail sentence under IPP, four months before the sentences were abolished – but remains in prison 12 years later.

However, following an intervention from Lord Blunkett – who introduced IPPs when he was home secretary back in 2003 – Mr White has been granted permission to see his son later this month.

Mr White’s sister, Clara White, said the meeting was a “victory” for her family – but they had to “take the law into their own hands” to see change.

“Our prayers have been answered,” she told Sky News.

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“Campaigning on IPP – I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. I don’t think anyone would want to walk in our shoes, it’s been a tireless job.

“Although I am happy, I still feel bitterness about what was allowed to happen and that no legal team would help us. We took the law into our own hands to see the man who was the architect of this sentence to help us. I had no other choice.”

Clara and Lord Blunkett during their meeting on February 22. Pic: Institute of Now.
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Clara and Lord Blunkett during their meeting on 22 February Pic: Institute of Now.

IPP is a prison sentence with no release date that was intended for serious violent and sexual offenders who posed a significant risk of serious harm to the public but whose crimes did not warrant a life term.

Although the government’s stated aim was public protection, concerns quickly grew that IPP sentences were being applied too broadly and catching more minor offenders – with many serving time in prison much longer than their initial term.

In 2012 they were abolished, but the change was not applied retrospectively, leaving 2,852 IPP prisoners behind bars, including 1,227 who have never been released.

Kayden and Lord Blunkett during their meeting on February 22. Pic: Institute of Now
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Kayden and Lord Blunkett during their meeting on 22 February Pic: Institute of Now

Last month, Ms White travelled to London with her nephew to meet Lord Blunkett, the architect of IPP who has expressed “deep regret” over how they were implemented.

Ms White thanked Lord Blunkett and said he was “very sympathetic” adding: “He listened with great compassion.”

“What’s happened now doesn’t make it right,” she said. “Kayden and Thomas can’t recapture those years – they have to pick up now and start their relationship now.”

Lord Blunkett’s intervention in Mr White’s case comes as the House of Lords is set to vote on a series of amendments to the government’s Victims and Prisoners Bill later this month.

One amendment, tabled by Baroness Fox of Buckley, is calling for a resentencing of the remaining IPP population.

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Cost of keeping people in prison on indeterminate IPP sentences tops £1bn since 2012

The government has so far resisted calls to resentence the remaining IPP prisoners, citing fears over public safety.

However, data obtained by Sky News through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request shows only 83 IPP prisoners who have been released since 2012 have been convicted of a serious further offence (SFO) upon or after their release, including those who may have been released, recalled back to custody and rereleased.

Ms White urged peers in the House of Lords to back Baroness Buckley’s amendment, saying: “IPP has not just had an effect on prisoners mentally, it has had an effect on the families and we have all been punished and served a sentence.

“It’s a wreckage and they should help us clear it up now.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We have reduced the number of unreleased IPP prisoners by three-quarters since we scrapped the sentence in 2012, with a 12% fall in the last year alone where the Parole Board deemed prisoners safe to release.

“We have also taken decisive action to curtail licence periods and continue to help those still in custody to progress towards release including improving access to rehabilitation programmes and mental health support.”

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Unite votes to suspend Angela Rayner over Birmingham bin strike

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Unite votes to suspend Angela Rayner over Birmingham bin strike

Labour’s largest union donor, Unite, has voted to suspend Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner over her role in the Birmingham bin strike row.

Members of the trade union, one of the UK’s largest, also “overwhelmingly” voted to “re-examine its relationship” with Labour over the issue.

They said Ms Rayner, who is also housing, communities and local government secretary, Birmingham Council’s leader, John Cotton, and other Labour councillors had been suspended for “bringing the union into disrepute”.

There was confusion over Ms Rayner’s membership of Unite, with her office having said she was no longer a member and resigned months ago and therefore could not be suspended.

But Unite said she was registered as a member. Parliament’s latest register of interests had her down as a member in May.

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The union said an emergency motion was put to members at its policy conference in Brighton on Friday.

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Unite is one of the Labour Party’s largest union donors, donating £414,610 in the first quarter of 2025 – the highest amount in that period by a union, company or individual.

The union condemned Birmingham’s Labour council and the government for “attacking the bin workers”.

Mountains of rubbish have been piling up in the city since January after workers first went on strike over changes to their pay, with all-out strike action starting in March. An agreement has still not been made.

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Rat catcher tackling Birmingham’s bins problem

Ms Rayner and the councillors had their membership suspended for “effectively firing and rehiring the workers, who are striking over pay cuts of up to £8,000”, the union added.

‘Missing in action’

General secretary Sharon Graham told Sky News on Saturday morning: “Angela Rayner, who has the power to solve this dispute, has been missing in action, has not been involved, is refusing to come to the table.”

She had earlier said: “Unite is crystal clear, it will call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette.

“Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts.

“The disgraceful actions of the government and a so-called Labour council, is essentially fire and rehire and makes a joke of the Employment Relations Act promises.

“People up and down the country are asking whose side is the Labour government on and coming up with the answer not workers.”

SN pics from 10/04/25 Tyseley Lane, Tyseley, Birmingham showing some rubbish piling up because of bin strikes
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Piles of rubbish built up around Birmingham because of the strike over pay

Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said the government’s “priority is and always has been the residents of Birmingham”.

He said the decision by Unite workers to go on strike had “caused disruption” to the city.

“We’ve worked to clean up streets and remain in close contact with the council […] as we support its recovery,” he added.

A total of 800 Unite delegates voted on the motion.

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Binance’s CZ threatens to sue Bloomberg over Trump stablecoin report

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Binance’s CZ threatens to sue Bloomberg over Trump stablecoin report

Binance’s CZ threatens to sue Bloomberg over Trump stablecoin report

Binance co-founder CZ has dismissed a Bloomberg report linking him to the Trump-backed USD1 stablecoin, threatening legal action over alleged defamation.

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BlockFi bankruptcy administrator and DOJ agree to dismiss $35M lawsuit

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BlockFi bankruptcy administrator and DOJ agree to dismiss M lawsuit

BlockFi bankruptcy administrator and DOJ agree to dismiss M lawsuit

BlockFi’s bankruptcy administrator and the DOJ have settled a $35 million crypto asset transfer lawsuit.

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