Super strength nail glue leaves girl, 12, with major burns

A schoolgirl who was left with horrific burns after applying a set of false nails purchased online may never regain full feeling in her hands.

Chloe Norris, a 12-year-old girl from Kent, received the nail set as a Christmas gift from her parents in 2023, who had bought it from Chinese online outlet Temu.

When it arrived, Chloe’s mother Stacey Norris saw nothing abnormal about the nail set and glue and assumed the product had been tested and regulated.

However, when Chloe was applying the manicure set she accidentally knocked the bottle over, causing glue to spill onto the outside of her hands, immediately putting Chloe in excruciating pain.

The young girl said she had “never felt pain like that before” and that it was “very sharp and stinging”.

Her mother rushed Chloe to the bathroom to wash the glue off with water, applied antiseptic cream and assumed it would heal.

Although she had a few small blisters Chloe went to school as normal, but just hours later the skin on Chloe’s hands had badly blistered and she needed emergency treatment.

After seeking medical attention, it transpired that the nail glue had burnt through to the nerve endings and Chloe was sent to a specialist burns unit for treatment.

Doctors used skin from her thigh to replace the burnt skin on her hands.

The case recently featured in the BBC TV series Rip Off Britain and explained that although her surgery was a success, Chloe will always have scars and might never regain full feeling in her hands.

Chloe’s parents contacted Temu to warn them of the products it sold her, but the online marketplace said it no longer sold the glue. The company also told them to keep the nail glue away from children.

A Temu spokesperson said: “We take product safety seriously and require all sellers on our platform to comply with relevant regulations. We continually monitor listings and remove those that don’t meet our standards.”

Following the ordeal a stark warning has been issued by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to the public about extremely potent and dangerous nail glues which could leave users with skin irritation, redness, blistering or even burns to the skin.

Although nail glue is commonly used to apply artificial nails or nail art it can come with health and safety risks, especially if they are not used properly.

The products often contain ethyl cyanoacrylate or other acrylates, which CTSI said “can cause skin irritation, redness or even blistering if someone is sensitive to these substances.”

“There is complete logic in opting for stick-on nails that are easily applied and temporary, but what parents are not aware of is that not all products sold online are safe,” Kerry Nicol, External Affairs Manager at CTSI, said.

“In Chloe’s case that decision had devastating consequences resulting in any parents’ worst nightmare,” she added.

Richard Knight, CTSI Lead Officer for Cosmetics and Beauty, warned that even safe products contain strong chemicals and the safest option is going to a professional nail technician who should use only safe adhesives.

“The risk to the health of consumers becomes intolerable if the disreputable manufacturer has not safety assessed the formulation and has not listed ingredients or provided clear warnings and instructions for the home user,” Mr Knight added.

MPs demand root and branch reform of Criminal Cases Review Commission

The justice committee has called for a “root and branch” reform of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and called for its chief executive to step down.

A report from the cross-party panel of MPs found CCRC’s leadership “has shown a remarkable inability to learn from its own mistakes” after serious failures in its handling of the wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson, who was wrongly jailed for 17 years for rape.

It comes after Peter Sullivan last week had his murder conviction overturned after 38 years in prison, in what is thought to be longest running miscarriage of justice in recent history.

Chairman Andy Slaughter said the position of the watchdog’s chief executive, Karen Kneller, was “untenable” after she gave “unpersuasive evidence” over the handling of Mr Malkinson’s case to the committee on 29 April.

Her account was later challenged by Chris Kenley KC, the author of a damning report which identified a “catalogue of failures” in their handling of the case and found Mr Malkinson could have been exonerated a decade earlier.

Former chairwoman of the CCRC, Helen Pitcher, eventually resigned from the role in January following Mr Malkinson’s case, but claimed she had been scapegoated.

Before her resignation, she had apologised to Mr Malkinson in April 2024, nine months after his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in July 2023.

In a report published on Friday, committee chairman Andy Slaughter said: “As a result of our concerns regarding the performance of the CCRC and the unpersuasive evidence Karen Kneller provided to the committee, we no longer feel that it is tenable for her to continue as chief executive of the CCRC.

“There is clear evidence in our report that the situation for the CCRC has deteriorated significantly and it now requires root and branch reform.”

The chairman also accused the leadership team of showing a “remarkable inability” to learn from its own mistakes, and that the CCRC failed to respond adequately to Mr Malkinson’s acquittal and to the publication of Mr Henley’s independent review.

Mr Slaughter added that the committee received comments from Mr Henley and Chris Webb, who was employed by the CCRC as an independent communications consultant, “to the effect that she had misled the committee” following the April meeting.

“Without making a finding on whether the committee had been misled and giving Ms Kneller an opportunity to comment on the allegations, the committee nonetheless found the manner in which she gave evidence a further indicator of her unsuitability to continue to lead the CCRC,” he said.

“The information provided since the session establishes that Karen Kneller omitted important information that would have provided a more accurate account of how the CCRC handled the Henley report.”

The committee’s report concluded that Mr Henley’s assessment on the work the CCRC had done was “damning”, and while it was focused on Mr Malkinson’s case it should have been taken as evidence of systemic problems within the CCRC.

It also said the body had been without an interim chair since Ms Pitcher’s resignation for four months, which is an “unacceptably long period of time”, particularly given the “turbulent” period.

Mr Slaughter added that the Ministry of Justice should take a degree of responsibility for not putting a plan in place for a replacement.

Responding to the report, a CCRC spokesperson said: “We note the recommendations in the Justice Select Committee report and the committee’s view that its findings should ‘inform the approach of the next chair of the CCRC’ in reviewing how we operate.

“We look forward to an announcement on the appointment of an interim chair and to working with them in an organisation deeply committed to finding, investigating and referring potential miscarriages of justice.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Miscarriages of justice can have a devastating impact. It is vital the public have confidence in the organisation dedicated to uncovering wrongful convictions.

“The lord chancellor will imminently announce the appointment to provide strong leadership to the CCRC and conduct a full and thorough review of how the organisation operates, including an assessment of its leadership.”

Families evacuated after fire breaks out at Bristol maternity hospital

Families are said to have been evacuated after plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from a maternity hospital in Bristol.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service said on Thursday afternoon it was responding to a fire on Southwell Street, Bristol, and warned people to avoid the area.

Videos shared by locals on social media showed smoke rising from St Michael’s Hospital as mothers and babies were reportedly led across the road to safety by midwives.

Jess Hutchinson, 22, whose waters had broken, told the BBC it was “scary” hearing there was a fire on the roof.

Matt Burden, from Weston-super-Mare, told the BBC that he was inside the maternity unit with his wife when the fire broke out and that his wife was in labour with their third baby.

“I went out to get some food, came back and obviously the alarm went off,” he told the broadcaster, adding that his partner was safe inside.

“They said all partners had to leave. Everyone was going down the fire exit quite fast. When we came out I saw black smoke, all up in flames.”

Green Party co-leader and MP for Bristol Central wrote on social media: “Scenes from the fire at St Michael’s Hospital look incredibly distressing – my thoughts are with all those who had to evacuate in such scary circumstances, and huge thanks to the emergency services for their bravery.

“I’ll be keeping a close eye on the situation as it develops.”

Smoke could be seen across the city, including from Bristol Temple Meads station, as videos showed a number of firefighters battling the blaze.

Around an hour after the fire service confirmed the fire had been extinguished, it added: “We can confirm that the fire has safely been extinguished. The cause of the fire will be investigated.”

The hospital later reopened at 7pm, though residents have been told to expect delays to journeys and use alternative routes, as nearby St Michaels Hill is closed between its junctions with Hortfield Road and Tyndall Avenue.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “Police are supporting Avon Fire and Rescue colleagues at the scene of a fire at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol which was reported at about 4.30pm on Thursday May 22.

“St Michael’s Hill is closed to vehicles and pedestrians and people are urged to avoid the area if at all possible.”

Professor Stuart Walker, hospital managing director at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Following a fire incident at St Michael’s Hospital this afternoon, we can confirm that the fire has safely been extinguished.

“Thank you to our amazing staff who worked closely with the fire service to partially evacuate the hospital.

“The hospital, including the delivery suite, has now reopened to women who need to access our services and people with appointments tomorrow should attend as planned.”

Doctors say pay rises aren’t enough as they threaten strike action

Doctors are threatening strike action despite being given an above-inflation 4 per cent pay increase, claiming that it does not go far enough in restoring historical pay freezes.

Ministers announced the increases after the latest review of the public sector pay, with other NHS workers such as nurses, midwives and physiotherapists receiving a 3.6 per cent increase.

Teachers have also threatened to “register a dispute” over their 4 per cent increase, which will only partly be covered by the Labour government, with the rest to be covered by existing school budgets.

An additional £615m of funding will be provided to schools this financial year to help them with the costs of pay awards for staff, she added, roughly equivalent to three-quarters of the pay rise.

Schools will be required to fund the remaining quarter of the pay rise through “improved productivity and smarter spending”, according to Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary.

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said in many schools this would result in “cuts in service provision to children and young people, job losses, and additional workloads for an already overstretched profession”.

He added: “Unless the government commits to fully funding the pay rise then it is likely that the NEU will register a dispute with the government on the issue of funding, and campaign to ensure every parent understands the impact of a cut in the money available to schools, and that every politician understands this too.”

The increases, recommended by independent pay review bodies, are above the rate of inflation, which jumped to 3.5 per cent in April, up from 2.6 per cent in March and the highest since January 2024.

NHS staff in Wales are also likely to be given the same pay award, as the Welsh government has accepted the same recommendations.

Professor Philip Banfield, the British Medical Association’s chair of council, warned it was already considering strike action, as the union believes the pay rise does not do enough to restore doctors’ pay after previous salary freezes.

“Doctors’ pay is still around a quarter less than it was in real terms 16 years ago and today’s ‘award’ delays pay restoration even more,” he said.

Meanwhile, NHS staff who are members of the Royal College of Nursing and GMB union will be voting on whether to accept the increase, arguing that it is “entirely swallowed up by inflation”.

Elsewhere, most members of the armed forces will be given a 4.5 per cent pay rise, according to defence secretary John Healey, while senior members of the military will receive a 3.75 per cent rise.

Senior civil servants will get a 3.25 per cent pay rise, according to the Cabinet Office, but ministers plan to defer rolling out new pay bands as part of a review of salaries among the upper echelons of the civil service.

Prison officers and managers are also set to get a 4 per cent pay rise, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said.

Judicial office holders, a group which includes judges, will also get a 4 per cent pay rise, after Ms Mahmood rejected a recommendation their pay should rise by 4.75 per cent.

Becker ‘lost for words’ that Djokovic has not kept Murray as his coach

Boris Becker revealed he is “lost for words” that Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray’s coaching partnership has ended after just six months.

Djokovic hired great rival Murray as his coach at the back end of last year, with the pair working together at the Australian Open in January, where the Serb beat Carlos Alcaraz and reached the semi-finals before withdrawing due to injury.

Yet Djokovic’s results have nosedived since, with just one final appearance in Miami, and he lost his first matches on the clay of Monte Carlo and Madrid. As such, last week, the pair jointly announced that they have gone their separate ways, with Djokovic adding this week he “couldn’t get more” out of the partnership.

But three-time Wimbledon champion Becker, who coached Djokovic between 2013-2016, believed the pair would continue working together until at least The Championships, which start on 30 June.

“I’m a little bit surprised that they would end their working relationship just a week before Roland-Garros,” Becker told The Independent, ahead of the French Open beginning this Sunday.

“I thought Melbourne was a big success. I was happy to see Andy back in action in Novak’s corner. I really wanted to see them both at Wimbledon, actually.

“Andy knows a thing or two about winning Wimbledon, he’s very popular there. I thought it would be an advantage for Novak to have Andy in his corner.

“I’m a little bit lost for words [as to] why they’ve broken up just before the second grand slam.”

Djokovic, who turned 38 on Thursday, is a seven-time winner at Wimbledon but has lost in the final to Carlos Alcaraz in the last two years, while Murray won the tournament in 2013 and 2016.

Becker, who will feature on TNT Sports’s coverage of Roland-Garros, coached Djokovic to Wimbledon titles in 2014 and 2015, and the German, 57, said he considers the 24-time grand slam champion like a “younger brother”.

Asked further what went wrong with the Djokovic-Murray partnership, Becker replied: “I thought it was always about the grand slams and I thought the campaign in Melbourne went very well.

“I don’t know the reasons. Novak is a smart guy – he knows what he’s doing. I definitely thought this relationship would go at least until Wimbledon, but I was wrong.

“But you should never underestimate Novak Djokovic, he’s always a very fierce competitor, he always has something up his sleeve.

“Novak Djokovic knows pretty much everything about tennis. So, who can he talk to that knows more?

“The challenge is for Novak to find someone that he has respect [for], who he can learn something from.

“That’s very difficult because he’s so good and knowledgeable, he’s done everything there is to do in tennis and that’s the difficulty he has.”

Djokovic, now the world No 6, is eyeing a record-breaking 25th grand slam on the clay courts of Roland-Garros over the next fortnight, the same venue where he won his last tournament – gold at the Paris Olympics – last summer.

“I think he has tennis left in him, but he has to be realistic,” Becker added, regarding Djokovic’s future in the sport.

“He’s not getting any younger, he cannot play forever. Those are the facts. You have to deal with reality and start to think about how much longer you have to play. That would be a wise thing to do.”

The Serb won his first match on clay this year at the Geneva Open on Wednesday, beating Marton Fucsovics in straight sets. He faces Matteo Arnaldi in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Watch every moment of Roland-Garros live and exclusive on TNT Sports and discovery+ from May 25th

Family holiday guide: why the Costa Dorada ticks every travel box

If there’s one thing every parent knows, it’s that children can sometimes (as much as we love them) be hard to please. So the key to any family holiday destination is variety: somewhere you can spend a sunny day by the sea, but where you can also enjoy breathtaking nature, as well as fascinating culture and history.

The brilliant news? The Costa Dorada (known locally as Costa Daurada) delivers all of this in spades, offering everything from theme parks and waterparks to stunning beaches, picturesque hiking and cycling trails, and incredible historical sites. What’s more, with Jet2holidays flying to the Costa Dorada from 12 UK airports and a range of two to five-star accommodation, it’s easy to get your family getaway in the bag. Jet2holidays is always giving you more, to help make planning and booking as smooth as possible. That goes for the PayPal Pay in 3 interest-free payments** option, 22kg baggage and 10kg hand luggage for all the kids’ stuff, and return transfers† that are included. Look out for Free Child Places***, while infants under two go free‡.

Here’s what to look forward to on your family getaway…

With 50 miles of coastline and 26 Blue Flag beaches, families are spoilt for choice when it comes to somewhere to pitch up at with a unicorn-shaped inflatable and a bucket and spade. The stretches of soft sand are long and golden, with safe, calm and shallow waters perfect for little ones. And in many places, water sports and beach activities to suit older children.

Some of the most popular seaside resorts include Salou, which houses the charming Platja Llarga, surrounded by a small pine forest. And there’s Cambrils, where you’ll find Platja del Cavet, which boasts a water sports school and open water swimming channel. Vila-seca, la Pineda Platja, is known for its nearly two miles of fine, champagne-sand beach, fronted by a long promenade, while Tarragona has a range of fantastic options, including Platja del Miracle in the heart of the city. There, you’ll find a great range of bars and restaurants and Platja de la Savinosa, a quieter beach enveloped by imposing cliffs. Many of these can be reached by easy coastal paths.

Another advantage of the Costa Dorada is its many theme parks and waterparks. For a real all-rounder, head to PortAventura World in Vila-seca, la Pineda Platja, a three-in-one park that’s one of Europe’s largest. Here you can enjoy everything from thrilling rollercoasters, rides (don’t miss Dragon Khan, which reaches over 68 miles per hour) and live entertainment. Then pop your swimmers on to enjoy waterfalls, pools and beaches at Caribe Aquatic Park. After you’ve had fun splashing around, head to Ferrari Land, which has a range of spectacular attractions that will make you feel like a real F1 driver.

Get even more thrills at nearby Aquopolis Costa Dorada. It has a range of attractions for all ages, from toddler-friendly and gentle – like the Mini-Park playground and Treasure Island – to more high-octane rides, such as the Boomerang, a speedy waterslide. Or there’s the Kamikaze that older kids will love. Alternatively, Náutic Park offers a range of fun activities and experiences spanning a coastal area of nearly 60 miles including those in Salou, Cambrils, Vandellós – l’Hospitalet de l’Infant and Mont-roig – Miami Platja. Whether you want to rent a sailing boat for the day, try a water bike or even take part in an escape room on the beach, Nàutic Park has it all.

Finally, Aqualeon, near Tarragona, has plenty of enjoyable rides and slides too. The Rapid River is fun for all the family, where you’ll feel like you’re gently ‘flying’ over the water. All the while, the Crazy Race pits you against grown-ups and siblings to see who can get down the slide first. Do you dare to ride the Anaconda? Featuring two intertwined tubes, it’s suitable only for the bravest…

Getting the kids out into the fresh air can sometimes feel like a struggle, but when the scenery in the Costa Dorada is this beautiful, nobody will feel it’s a hardship. Head inland to the striking Prades Mountains, which has a wealth of hiking and cycling trails in the area. These are filled with quaint villages and jaw-dropping viewpoints, where you can get active, immerse yourself in nature, and explore the distinctive, rocky landscape. Don’t miss the Gorgs route, near La Febro, known for its scenic natural pools and waterfalls.

For fascinating grottoes and gorges, head to Serra de Montsant Natural Park, which has dozens of walking trails which offer spectacular views. Back at ground level, in Cambrils, Parc Samà is a lovely botanical garden where kids will enjoy visiting the aviary, filled with exotic birds, as well as looking out for the deer, pheasants and peacocks which also call this place home.

With its rich history, there are stacks of captivating sights in the Costa Dorada that will grab your kids’ imaginations. Take them back to Roman times at archaeological sites, such as the amphitheatre of Tarragona; it was used for fights between wild beasts, races and gladiatorial combat. All these are brought excitingly to life by guided tours and interactive exhibits. Children will also love walking the Roman walls, and exploring the Circus and Forum, with the open-air setting making for the ultimate mix of education and adventure.

In a quiet spot at the end of a valley, nestled under the Montsant hills, you’ll find Cartoixa d’Escaladei (see main image), a 12th-century monastery founded by French monks at a site where a shepherd had dreamt of angels coming down from the sky. Here you can enjoy guided tours around its three cloisters, church and refectory, while learning the history and purpose of each building.

Finally, stoke their creativity with a visit to the Gaudí Centre in Reus, where the architect Antoni Gaudí was born. It offers an interactive and engaging experience that brings his genius to life in a way that appeals to all ages. You’ll find real objects related to him, detailed mock-ups of his iconic works, and a special effects room that immerses visitors in his groundbreakingly imaginative world.

With Jet2holidays, it’s a doddle to book your family getaway to the Costa Dorada. From a low £60 per person deposit* to PayPal Pay in 3 interest-free payments**, 22kg baggage for all the kids’ stuff to return transfers†, it’s all included. Families can make the most of Free Child Places*** and infants under two going free‡. And with flights included and the choice of two to five-star hotels, Jet2holidays is always giving you more. For more Costa Dorada travel inspiration, and to find and book your ultimate family holiday, visit Jet2holidays. Plus, right now, myJet2 members can save £100 per person§ in The Big Jet2 Price Drop (correct at original publish date).

*On bookings made ten weeks or more before departure. Full payment required by balance due date. **Spread the cost over three interest-free payments. Available when booked online, for holidays under £2,000, departing within ten weeks. ***One free child place per two paying passengers. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply, please see www.jet2holidays.com/promotions#FCP2025 for further details. †Unless otherwise stated. ‡Applicable for all infants under the age of two years on the date of return. Infants are not entitled to a flight seat (they must be seated with a parent or guardian) or a 22kg baggage allowance. §£100 per person off holidays for myJet2 members departing until 15 November 2026. myJet2 members will need to be logged into their account at the time of booking for the discount to automatically apply. Book online, via our app, through our call centre or with your travel agent. Please note the discount is not applied to children travelling on a free child place. Terms and conditions apply, please see www.jet2holidays.com/promotions#100APRIL2025 for details.

Why there is still pressure to cut migration despite worker shortages

Net migration to the UK has practically halved, albeit from recent historic highs, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. The latest official estimates showed 431,000 more people arrived than left during 2024, compared to 860,000 the previous year.

Gross migration – just those coming to the UK for 12 months or longer (but not necessarily permanently) – stood at 948,000, itself a decrease of almost a third from the estimated 1,326,000 in 2023. Politically and economically, it is mixed news for the government…

A major reason for the fall was new, stricter rules, introduced by Rishi Sunak’s government, but which came into effect too late to earn any credit from voters. They made it harder for students to bring dependents on a visa, while a higher earnings threshold for certain jobs helped drive the numbers down, as did a higher outflow of students completing their courses (and unable to gain work permits).

Economists broadly believe that immigration boosts economic growth, provided migrants are allowed to work, which most would be under the UK visa system. Students also contribute via tuition fees and general expenditure, while few make much demand on public services, and have restricted access to the welfare state. In a situation where many sectors, notably hospitality, construction, agriculture, health and social care, cannot expand due to lack of workers and skills, migration obviously adds to GDP and tax revenues, while improving demographics. The Office for Budget Responsibility assumes net migration will fall over the next few years, to a trough of 258,000 in the year to mid-2027, before reaching 340,000 by about 2029. The latest data seems consistent with that.

Although net migration is more popular and better understood since Brexit, politicians – now including the prime minister – tend to regard it as a “bad thing”. In his “island of strangers” speech last week, Keir Starmer broke with the old orthodoxy by declaring: “The chaos of the previous government also changed the nature of immigration in this country – fewer people who make a strong economic contribution, more who work in parts of our economy that put downward pressure on wages.” Hence the white paper on immigration and proposed tighter controls.

So even though the number is halved, it is still at high levels historically, and the political pressure is to reduce it further – but this may well have a negative impact on the government’s priority of a faster-growing economy.

A bit, but unless they state and achieve a goal of “net zero” or negligible net migration, Labour will never be able to match what Reform UK offers (unrealistic or damaging as that may be). On the other hand, they would be able to say that regular, lawful migration is down from the peaks seen under the latter years of Tory rule – what’s being called the “Boris wave” of migration. That record and the claim that they “lost control of the borders” is frequently thrown at Kemi Badenoch by Starmer. She is also hampered by an unwillingness to set a target figure for net migration. Another irony is that the Brexit delivered by the Conservatives – the end of free movement from Europe and the new “Australian-style points-based system” – was supposed to get migration down but achieved the reverse. Priti Patel, now shadow foreign secretary, is in the uncomfortable position of having to justify overseeing the “Boris wave” during her time as his home secretary.

These net migration figures have nothing to do with “illegal” migration – that is, irregular arrivals of people claiming asylum. It is a relatively small number in this context, typically 40,000 to 50,000 a year. Deportations are up during this government’s time, but the inflow remains roughly on trend. Nobody seems to think allowing them to work (currently unlawful) might help them make some positive contribution to the economy, and, sadly, there are few votes in defending even the most genuine of refugees.

Gauke’s report tells us how to reform prisons – now, make it happen

Seldom has an independent policy review commissioned by the government produced such a thorough, insightful, creative, rational and evidence-led report as that on sentencing now completed by David Gauke.

Mr Gauke, the justice secretary during the last period of Conservative government, and a solicitor by profession, is also to be commended for working on such a complex and vexed issue with such remarkable speed. His successor at the Ministry of Justice, Shabana Mahmood, has rightly accepted the vast majority of his recommendations, and, in a passionate performance in the House of Commons, rendered her party the additional benefit of putting her hyper-ambitious populist shadow, Robert Jenrick, firmly in his place. Easier said than done.

The Independent Sentencing Review bluntly states the central truth that politicians of all parties should face up to and accept: “The approach of the last few decades of sending more people to prison and for longer is unsustainable.” During the last 14 years of Conservative and coalition governments, a mere 500 extra prison places were created despite constant increases in sentencing guidelines and political pressure on the courts to send offenders down.

The criminal justice system more broadly – police, probation services and legal aid – has been subjected to a prolonged regime of austerity, and, by the time the general election was called a year ago, the prisons were so overcrowded that the police had nowhere to hold arrested offenders, and law and order was in danger of collapse. Hence, the hurried and highly undesirable decision to release some less serious criminals early. That should never happen.

“Prison works” was the famous mantra of Michael Howard in an earlier era of Tory rule, but the Gauke report proves otherwise. When retribution is placed before rehabilitation, and politicians pose as “tough on crime” rather than reducing reoffending, any possibility that prison would indeed make society safer is lost, as if taken by a thief in the night.

Ms Mahmood declares herself in favour of prison because it is obviously essential to deal with the most serious of offenders. For those who commit shameful crimes, inflicting violence and misery on their fellow citizens, acts of terror, abuse of children, persistent criminality and so on, the courts have to have the freedom to impose a long, if not indefinite, stretch inside. The public should have confidence that they’ll be kept locked up for everyone’s safety.

However, not every offender can be locked up because the costs of doing so are prohibitive. As the Gauke review points out, it costs £53,000 a year to keep someone in jail, and the government’s prison building programme, aimed at adding 14,000 places by 2031, will cost around £10bn. But even that is insufficient to keep up with the expected increase in the prison population. If recurrent crises in the system and rushed, emergency early release programmes are to be avoided, then reforms are required.

The government should, therefore, implement as soon as possible the recommended new system of “earned release” for good behaviour and evidence of rehabilitation. Short sentences seem ineffective at reducing reoffending and should therefore be avoided except in exceptional circumstances. Community sentences should be tougher, and the freedoms of domestic abusers in the community curtailed. Driving bans, financial penalties and deprivation of access to travel are also useful alternatives to incarceration. And if offenders are to be dealt with “on the outside”, then the funding for the probation service will need to be adequate for the task.

Without a much stronger effort to monitor miscreants and prevent reoffending, the Gauke/Mahmood reforms will, tragically, fail – with all the gruesome societal and political consequences that implies. Media coverage of particularly nasty, violent crimes would discredit things irretrievably. We would then be back to square one; so Ms Mahmood must set out a clear plan to rebuild the probation service through recruitment, training and resources.

Ms Mahmood would also be well advised to speed up the deportation of foreign national offenders. The public simply cannot understand, still less accept, why some 10,800 prison places are occupied by people who shouldn’t even be in the country, and certainly not detained at His Majesty’s pleasure. Their removal would greatly ease the pressures in the prison estate.

The Independent Sentencing Review explains why this is the case, some being on remand and others pursuing appeals on human rights grounds. So it is not quite as simple as it appears, but any possible abuse of human rights legislation should not be tolerated, and immediate deportation substituted for pointless short sentences – a considerable deterrent.

The only omission in Mr Gauke’s work is the absence of a single word about those prisoners incarcerated under the old indefinite imprisonment for public protection. Not only is their situation inherently unjust and distressing, with some attempting to take their own lives, but they are occupying more than 2,000 prison places that should be put to more appropriate use. Given the tightness of capacity, it is doubly incomprehensible that such a long-running injustice remains so disgracefully neglected.

To retain public confidence and put the prison system on a sustainable basis, the principle of the new policy should be simply stated: longer sentences for serious and incorrigible serial offenders; but tough tagged and supervised alternatives to jail for those who are more likely to return to the straight and narrow if they are kept out of our universities of crime.