David Lammy – 2020 Comments on Wellingborough Prison

The comments made by David Lammy, the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, on 6 October 2020.

G4S’s past performance illustrates the failings of privatisation in the justice system. Its well-publicised failure to manage HMP Birmingham led to reports of violence, unsanitary conditions, drink, drugs, and the bullying of staff.

Serious questions must be asked about why the government has handed the contract for the new prison in Wellingborough to G4S.

To deliver justice and keep the country safe, prisons must be well-run, disciplined environments that punish offenders while enabling them to rehabilitate.