Wire flash
PoliticsUK ministers Streeting and Mahmood apologize for prisoner release joke caught on mic
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood were forced to apologize after a microphone in the Downing Street garden picked up a joke they made about the early release of prisoners. The comments were made following the first meeting of Andy Burnham's new cabinet. Streeting was heard saying to Mahmood, referring to new Justice Secretary Alex Norris, 'You know he’s the enemy now he’s at justice, Shabana? He wants to let them all out.' Mahmood, who as former justice secretary approved the early release of thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding, laughed and replied, 'No he’s not.' Both later issued statements on X, explaining the exchange was a reference to a well-known joke between former Tory PM Theresa May and Ken Clarke. They apologized for any offense caused, stressing there was no ill intent and that they take the serious issues around the justice system seriously.
Source report
Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood have issued apologies after being overheard joking about the early release of prisoners.
The comments were picked up by a microphone in the Downing Street garden following the first meeting of Andy Burnham’s new cabinet.
Streeting, who was appointed defence secretary by the new Prime Minister, was heard referring to new justice secretary Alex Norris. He said: “You know he’s the enemy now he’s at justice, Shabana? He wants to let them all out.”
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood replied, laughing: “No he’s not.”
Mahmood, who served as justice secretary after the 2024 election, approved the early release of thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding in jails.
The Apologies
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday night, Streeting said:
“I hope everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new Justice Secretary - it was a reference to an old May/Clarke joke. But I appreciate these are very serious issues and am sorry for any offence inadvertently caused by this moment of levity.”
Streeting said the exchange was a reference to comments made by former Tory prime minister Theresa May about Ken Clarke, who served as justice secretary in David Cameron’s government. May had said: “When I was home secretary and he was justice secretary, I used to say that I locked ’em up and he let ’em out.”
Mahmood also issued a statement, saying:
“I think everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the new Lord Chancellor - a role I once filled and which comes with immense challenges thanks to the vandalism inflicted on our justice system by the last Conservative government. But I appreciate this is an extremely serious issue and do not want anyone to mistake this moment of levity for a lack of serious intent.”
Source
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Western
Part of this Story
UK Ministers Apologize for Hot Mic Joke on Prisoner Early Release