Prisoners given classes in yoga and cell mindfulness paid for by taxpayers

Credit: Getty Comment now Next PRISONERS have been given classes in colouring, yoga and in “cell mindfulness” worth over £300,000, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. Critics said it was outrageous that taxpayers cash is being lavished on the lessons while prisons are infested with drugs and rats. The Ministry of Justice has gone on a spending spree of other woke classes at prisons Credit: Getty Lags have been given classes in colouring, yoga and in ‘cell mindfulness’ worth over £300,000 Credit: Getty Advertisement At HMP Rochester in Kent, inmates were given “calming and mindful” lessons in creative writing, scrapbooking, and scrabble. The contract, worth over £35,000 and awarded in June 2025, was intended to build “confidence, resilience, teamwork, patience, and communication”. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. Rochester was placed under an urgent notification in September 2024 after inspectors found that 42 per cent of prisoners tested positive in random drug tests. They also discovered that assaults had risen by 67 per cent in a year, rats and mice were ‘plaguing older buildings’ and inmates were stuffing cardboard under their cell doors to keep the vermin out. READ MORE IN POLITICS DON BLAST Trump calls for Zelensky to be replaced as he 'wants to make problems for world' FARAGE'S FURY Ann would be alive if cops properly probed firebomb attack, blasts Farage Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said: “When HMP Rochester has rats in its cells, drugs circulating freely and uncontrolled violence, it’s shocking that Labour are wasting money on ‘mindfulness’ exercises and yoga for prisoners. “Labour are spending taxpayers’ money on wasteful, questionable contracts for colouring in classes and songwriting courses when they should be cracking down on drugs and crime in our prisons. This is absurd.” He said the Tories would build 50,000 new prison places. The Ministry of Justice has gone on a spending spree of other woke classes at prisons . It includes £10,680 on yoga and in cell mindfulness at HMP Maidstone. Advertisement Most read in The Sun BBL BAN Celeb BBL doctor assassinated in Marbella was banned from practising in UK CUFF OFF Officers banned from handcuffing criminals before deportation over 'stress' fears FEELING LUCKY? Lotto results LIVE: National Lottery numbers tonight, October 10, 2026 FINAL CALL Trump says HE ALONE will decide if terrorist's execution is live-streamed HMP Belmarsh has a £46,350 contract for music and fashion classes, £12,370 on painting and drawing classes. Across seven prisons £312,793.05 was spent on the classes. A Prison Service spokesman said: “We inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse. “We are pulling every lever to restore order by building 14,000 extra spaces and investing £75 million to clamp down on violence, criminality and drugs.” A Labour source said: “The Tories talk a big game on prisons to distract from their woeful record. Advertisement “Their 14 years in office saw just 500 places added to the estate and 23 prisons closed, while drugs ran rife.” Comment now