TalkTV interrupted for breaking information replace as star slams Andy Burnham’s ‘revolting’ plan
TalkTV was cut off for a breaking update as a furious guest slammed Andy Burnham’s prison plan live on air, calling the controversial scheme ‘revolting’
TalkTV was interrupted for an update about Andy Burnham’s controversial early prison release scheme(Image: Jack Taylor/PA Wire)
TalkTV was interrupted for an urgent breaking news update after Andy Burnham’s controversial early prison release scheme was branded “revolting” live on air. The controversial Labour scheme was previously paused in July following fierce national outrage when it was revealed that the killers of heroic PC Andrew Harper could be freed early.
While the Prime Minister has since stepped in to exclude convicted rapists, groomers and serious child sex offenders from the early release push, prison overcrowding means other criminals are still set to be let out.
Furious author Philip Kiszely has now condemned Burnham’s plan during a heated exchange with host Kevin O’Sullivan, warning the move is a “slap in the face” for decency that will force grieving families to relive their worst nightmares, reports the Express.
Prison overcrowding means some criminals are set to be let out of jail earlier than planned(Image: © 2026 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)
Speaking to Kevin O’Sullivan, he said: “There’s no incentive here. This is just nonsense. This is, as his [PC Harper’s] mum said, a slap in the face for decency. Let’s just focus on the reason.
“This isn’t some high meaning philosophical thing about justice and mercy. This is just the fact that the system is going to collapse if they don’t let all of these people out.”
“What about all the foreign criminals that are in the system? Can we not just deport those and maybe start with that?”.
The family of PC Andrew Harper have issued a blistering reaction to the announcement(Image: Thames Valley Police/PA Wire)
He added: “It’s about common sense. It’s about common decency and it’s about not forcing these poor people, the families of the victims, to revisit and relive the horror of this stuff day after day. It’s condemning them to misery and it’s just revolting.”
PC Harper tragically lost his life after becoming entangled in a strap attached to the rear of a vehicle and was dragged along a country lane as three teenage suspects made their escape from a burglary scene in 2019.
His murderers, Albert Bower and Jessie Cole, were handed 13-year prison sentences for manslaughter in 2020.
At the time, they were seen laughing and behaving provocatively in front of the cameras as they entered the courtroom.
The family of PC Harper, who was 28-years-old when he died, have issued a blistering reaction to the announcement.
His mother, Debbie Adlam, spoke to BBC Breakfast, saying: “Andrew deserves better than this and so do we.
“We are bitterly disappointed. I don’t feel like we should be in this position. It’s not somewhere we would expect to be. We really feel we should have more support than this.”
