Criminal barristers point out most serious offenders are not automatically released at the halfway point in their sentence. “We have been a soft touch on foreign criminals for too long,” she said. “Priti Patel is right that the Tories have been a soft touch for criminals, with policies that predictably led to more crime. In the first vote in the reconvened House of Commons, MPs vote by 306 to 289 against a three-day recess to allow Conservative MPs to attend their party conference. The Queen’s speech proposals on the domestic abuse bill may be more broadly welcomed, with a proposal to allow victims to testify via video-link rather than in person.

Source: The Guardian October 13, 2019 21:00 UTC