Andy Burnham just got humiliated – an idiot could tell his new plan was a disaster.TA

The PM has made a mess of the prisoner early release scheme (Image: Getty)

There is not enough space to house those who offend so they are being set released before they should be.

In a great many cases those deemed a danger to society taste freedom under Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s early release plans.

It is by any measure a victory for lawbreakers, a crooks’ charter.

But in pressing ahead with plans to abolish sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) Mr Burnham is complicit in what will inevitably follow – more chaos and misery on Britain’s already lawless streets.

Thousands of criminals will be set free ahead of time from October (Image: Getty)

There are currently more than 2,200 IPP prisoners being caged for heinous crimes.

Mr Burnham ultimately wants to introduce legislation to scrap these sentences, which could lead to cases being reviewed to determine whether an offender should be released or given an alternative sentence.

Prison governors in charge of Britain’s crumbling and creaking network know what awaits them – and the public.

Those set free under the Government’s last early release scheme are returning to jail at such a rapid rate with guards on first name terms with those let out as part of the 2024 push to ease overcrowding.

The cycle is depressingly familiar: they offend, they serve (some) time, are released early, and they return after reoffending – often for breaching their conditions of release.

Your usual cell, Mr Fletcher?

In October, the next stage of the early release scheme – and with it the same doom loop – will begin.

Then some 6,000 prisoners will be freed.

Prisons in England and Wales are almost at capacity.

As of March this year, more than 70,000 people had been released under the 2024 scheme.

But there are still almost 90,000 people in prisons across England and Wales – with a little over 1,500 spaces remaining.

Put simply there isn’t enough space. And it is a disaster waiting to happen.

So felons are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of being discharged because it means they can quickly commit crime again.

And not only that, they know the chances of being caught by overstretched police forces are remote and, even if they are, they are unlikely to be thrown back in the clink.

A frightened public – the actual victims of this farcical situation – remains largely in the dark as to how much higher the prison population will climb and, critically, what happens when capacity is reached.

The widespread anger at even the suggestion convicted criminals could be freed much earlier than they should is entirely understandable.

There is absolutely no case to be made for thousands of thugs tasting freedom in what is a reward for the state’s abject failures.

Mr Burnham has said he does not want to see a “single prisoner” released early but has failed to stick to his words.

There is no doubt Britain’s prison estate is unfit for purpose – His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons has been saying as much for years.

In sanctioning the scheme Mr Burnham, who continually reminds us in case we should ever forget that he is a huge Smiths fan, has sided with the criminals despite the first priority of any Prime Minister being to keep the public safe.

Perhaps he might tell us in one of his social media videos?

But until he does the message he is sending is clear: Shoplifters of the World Unite.

Be under no illusion: If just one criminal is released early then Labour would have not only failed the public but, more importantly, victims of crime.