Burnham gets the early prison release changes he wanted - but at what cost?

The UK government has announced changes to the early release scheme, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham saying he will keep hundreds more criminals behind bars but at what cost.

The decision comes after the Ministry of Justice warned that exempting any more prisoners risked 'prisons reaching capacity and collapsing'.

The prime minister's announcement was seen as a political decision, with some in his inner circle believing it was necessary to act despite concerns about the impact on victims and the public.

However, government officials working on the plans have spoken to the families of victims, who made it clear they did not want the new measures to be dripped out in leaks to the media.

The extra exemptions announced by Burnham are being described as a 'political decision' and will only allow him to follow through on today's announcement by making prisons even more full.

It is understood that ending indefinite sentences will require new legislation, which could be years before space is freed up. Retrofitting prisons to create more cells is also expected to take months.

The move has been welcomed by some in the sector, but others are concerned about the impact on the adult male prison estate already running at 98% capacity.

It remains to be seen how this decision will affect the victims of prisoners who will still be released early. The domestic abuse commissioner said she remained 'deeply concerned' about the number of abusers still set to be freed.