Prison news: Labour blasted for spending £1.7m a year on 'finding ways to claim prisons are racist' amid overcrowding crisis

Labour blasted for spending £1.7m a year on 'finding ways to claim prisons are racist' amid overcrowding crisis Internal Ministry of Justice documents show the unit was renamed and expanded in October 2024 Sign up to the Politics Newsletter Email address Sign up I agree to receive updates and information about my account, the GB News Community, and related products and services from GB News. By signing up you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and Community Rules. Thank you for signing up! See the latest from GB News here . Choose GB News on Google - add us as a preferred source Choose GB News Support GB News Champion free speech and independent journalism while unlocking exclusive benefits. Support us Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy has criticised a "diversity, equality and inclusion" prison initiative costing close to £2million a year. A bombshell report revealed the "disparities unit" employs 20 full-time members of staff. The group engages in the task of "provid[ing] support and guidance to those responsible for oversight of Diversity and Inclusion in prisons and probation services". Internal Ministry of Justice documents show the unit was renamed and expanded in October 2024. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say It is currently advertising for the role of "HMPPS disparities analyst" with a salary of up to £53,081 a year. The extension of the unit comes in spite of what the Conservatives have called an "acute threat" to public safety posed by the on-going early release scheme. Labour implemented the scheme earlier this month amid growing cocnerns about overcrowding in British prisons. Mr Timothy said: "At a time when Labour are releasing thousands of serious criminals back onto the streets, this money would be far better spent on increasing space within the prison estate and improving conditions for prison officers ." The revelations came after the early release of prisoners | PA The most recent tranche of prisoners released early included at least 700 inmates since the start of October. However, it has since expanded its scope to offenders of more serious crimes. Up to 50,000 prisoners are expected to be released each year, adding to the 70,000 criminals released from prison under the previous scheme set up two years ago. Mr Timothy added: "Taxpayers should not be forking out millions so that equality and diversity analysts can spend their time finding ways to claim that our prisons are racist. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Karl Turner has Labour whip restored on 'probationary basis' after issuing apology Migrants handed £96m in visa fee waivers since Labour took office as 76,000 charges scrapped Andy Burnham considers scrapping £108 energy bill charge paid by millions of Britons Nick Timothy issued a warning to Labour | HOUSE OF COMMONS "Prison is for punishment, deterrence, and keeping criminals off our streets, not for promoting DEI ideology." Revelations about DEI inside British prisons came just days after it was revealed foreign inmates were being treated to therapy sessions compared to yoga retreats. Inmates at HMP Maidstone are allowed to take part in breathing exercises and cold-water therapy as part of their rehabilitation. The Kent prison is home to around 600 foreign criminals from almost 100 different countries. The UK's foreign-born prison population is around 12 per cent | GETTY The Independent Monitoring Board recently penned a report on HMP Maidstone, in which it was hailed for its range of programmes. The review noted: “[There were] a broad range of group programmes ... [including] pre-release support, criminal records workshops, relaxation and breathwork sessions. “Additional initiatives included cold-water therapy and practical skills sessions such as soup and bread-making.” The report also claimed violent incidents inside the prison had “reduced significantly” over the past 12 months. HMP Maidstone in Kent is one of Britain's three prisons which solely houses criminals from abroad | PA One prison insider told The Telegraph that the foreign criminals banged up in the Kent jail must be "wondering what the hell is going on". Meanwhile, prison chiefs at HMP Manchester have been blasted for spending thousands of taxpayers' cash on music lessons for inmates. A damning report following an unannounced inspection of the Category A prison back in 2024 described it as being in "an appalling state". A Prison Service spokesman said: "This figure represents less than 0.1 per cent of HMPPS' overall budget and supports all our hardworking staff." 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