Is it time to let ex-prisoners stand for parliament?
From our UK edition
David Gauke, the former Justice Secretary now reviewing sentencing policy for the government, has long been a thoughtful voice in criminal justice. The reforms reportedly under consideration – including smarter punishments for low-level crime and early release for some offenders – suggest a welcome shift: away from the political chest-beating of 'tough on crime' rhetoric, and toward outcomes that might actually reduce reoffending. If we are finally starting to accept that punishment must have purpose – that it must lead somewhere – then there’s a broader conversation we urgently need to have. And that’s about who is allowed to take part in shaping the system. This is not about tokenism.
