Nick Timothy

Nick Timothy

Conservative — West Suffolk

Speaking in the House of Commons on 29 January 2026

Debate

Prison Capacity: Annual Statement

Contribution

That is true. But I agree that those numbers remain too low, because we should be deporting all the foreign criminals in our prisons. Can the Minister confirm that that is also his aim, and can he tell us how he will stop the European convention on human rights getting in the way? The Opposition are clear that we will leave the ECHR. Will he condemn the actions of his boss, the Justice Secretary, who in opposition actively campaigned against the deportation of foreign rapists? Finally, I want to ask the Minister a question of principle. He told a journalist this week: “a pretty big chunk of the overall population… shouldn’t be in prison”. His colleague Lord Timpson says that only a third of prisoners should be locked up. These are my most important questions, and the Minister needs to answer them clearly: is it true that only a third of prisoners should definitely be behind bars, and will he say very clearly that he agrees with me that prison works?

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