Professor John Robertson OBA
In the latest unconvincing Labour Government attempt to appear tough, win back Reform UK supporters and free-up prison spaces, currently at 89 042 (98.9%) capacity in England & Wales1 and projected to hit as much as 114 800 by 20282, the situation in Scotland is not being reported.
From the data tables for Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: April 2025, we can see that Scotland’s prison population has fallen from a peak of 8 326 in February 2025 to 8 147. Weekly figures fluctuate but suggest no significant growth trend.3
In June 2024, Scotland’s prison population was feared to climb to a maximum of 9 1504 but has not, thanks to the early release programmes.
The maximum capacity of Scotland’s prisons is 8 475.5 Tight but not a crisis.
Has the early release programme been risky?
Sources:
- https://news.sky.com/story/prisons-across-england-and-wales-now-98-9-full-13349336
- https://post.parliament.uk/prisons-capacity-and-performance/
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-report-april-2025/pages/statistics-on-prisons/
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-prison-population-projections-june-2024-edition/
- https://audit.scot/uploads/docs/report/2023/s22_231212_scottish_prison_service.pdf
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
( I had added the below comment ** to another post on here today….then I noticed this new post……….so I thought my comment would be more apt , as a comment, to add onto this new post by you…apologies for duplication…)
Talking of Reform UK and Labour…………
** Keir Starmer, the now well known Nigel Farage tribute act………..
Starmer has tweeted in homage to Farage , the leader of Reform UK, that he, Starmer as UK PM , has now chosen to imitate and so adopt much of his, Farage’s, rhetoric and intended actions…..in respect to those whom Farage always refers to as being “illegal”(but they are not all really “illegal”) Immigrants.
Starmer tweeted this yesterday…..
“I won’t stand for illegal workers who try to cheat our immigration system. It’s not fair on working people who play by the rules. We’ve already arrested hundreds of delivery riders working illegally across the country. We won’t stop there — we’ve invested £5 million to boost immigration enforcement teams”.
A statement taken straight from the Reform UK party playbook and also the Trump playbook as well….the vibe being……
“Illegal workers” coming over here cheating our (painfully slow and understaffed and under resourced ) immigration system….. well “we have arrested hundreds” of these ‘scoundrels’ and we, Labour as the new UK government, have also taken a leaf out of Trump’s (Fascist) playbook in forming ‘immigration enforcement teams’ ….
It was reported this year that……
“In America US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, is offering recruitment bonuses of up to $50,000 (£37,700) and student loan help to “brave and heroic” Americans interested in helping with the Trump administration’s deportation drive.
Starmer also tweeted this today:
“If you come to this country and commit a crime, you don’t get to stay here. You will face deportation at the earliest opportunity”.
Starmer , as a #Trump-Farage protégé, only wants ‘British (English) criminals to commit crimes in Britain (England)”.just as Trump only wants ‘(White) American criminals to commit crimes in America’…….
So in a Starmer compare and contrast exercise with Trump you have to recognise that there is a strong comparison to be made and very little contrast between what Trump is doing and saying in America and what Starmer is doing and saying in Britain ……and also what a future Farage PM (God forbid) would also likely do and say as well…….
Though Farage considers that some immigrants should be allowed to fill the jobs that Brits will not or cannot do….also known as using people, who at some point if no longer required , will then be unceremoniously ejected (deported) from a Farage governed Fascist Britain……
BTW that position on Immigration from Farage was met with a lot of hostility and opposition from many Reform UK party supporters…..whose own position was one where they wanted it to be more a case of ….. ‘Make England White…..again’ ?
Trump’s position on Immigrants in America ….
Well Trump has said he is targeting people who he says are in the US illegally-his pledge is to conduct mass deportations– his administration has resumed raids at workplaces–
Coincidentally…..here in the UK …..
Starmer is also targeting people who he says are in the UK illegally– his pledge is also to conduct mass deportations– he is also condoning raids of workplaces (like those workplaces who employ delivery drivers)……
I thought that I could not detest Keir Starmer more than I already do, but he just keeps on giving me even more reasons to do so………an absolutely awful person and PM , not fit for public office and most certainly not fit to criticise the SNP , (any of) the Scottish FM(s) or indeed any of the Scottish government’s actions and words….
Though they, the SNP, are not as callous and ruthless as Starmer and his UK Labour government are .
So I guess that then makes the SNP the polar opposite of the Labour party , both politically and morally……….they , the SNP, are considered to be the nemesis of the Labour party………both within (Labour branch office) and outwith (Labour HQ) Scotland.
(Where Labour are known to have have adopted what is known as the ‘Bain principle’ aka petty politics as in them being overtly narrowminded).
Vote Labour get Reform UK……. but also get Trump’s Republican party……(all are) cheeks of the same A**** (a big one)…….who all , as part of that A*** only deliver S*** to those that they govern so very very very badly.
Liz S
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