Nigel Farage has intensified his attack on Prime Minister Andy Burnham after the government faced renewed pressure over plans that could see two men convicted over the killing of police officer Andrew Harper released early.
PC Harper was killed in Berkshire in 2019 after being dragged along a road while responding to the theft of a quad bike.
The case became one of the most high-profile criminal justice controversies of recent years and has remained a symbol of public anger over sentencing and prison policy.
The latest row follows changes to release rules designed to ease severe overcrowding across the prison estate. Around 6,000 offenders are expected to be released early in September after serving a third of their sentence rather than half, with eligibility determined by the length of a fixed sentence rather than the nature of the crime.
Mr Farage, leader of Reform UK, accused Mr Burnham of failing to match his rhetoric with action after previously saying it would be unacceptable for PC Harper’s killers to benefit from early release.
In a social media video, Mr Farage claimed the episode showed voters were learning about the new prime minister’s approach to government.
“He tells people what he thinks they want to hear, but he will not actually deliver,” he said.
The Reform leader also criticised the previous Conservative government, arguing it had failed to address the prison capacity crisis and calling for tougher measures, including the deportation of foreign criminals and the construction of temporary Nightingale-style prisons.
Andy Burnham said it would be awful if PC Harper's killers were released early. But he’s now letting it happen.
Both Labour and the Conservatives have failed us all.
Reform will deport foreign criminals and build Nightingale prisons. pic.twitter.com/j8vEJ152hy
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) August 4, 2026
The government has defended the early release programme as a necessary response to overcrowding, arguing that prison capacity pressures require urgent action while maintaining protections for serious offenders.
However, the controversy highlights the political sensitivity surrounding criminal justice reform, where attempts to manage an overstretched prison system frequently collide with public demands for tougher sentencing.
For Mr Burnham’s government, the dispute represents an early test of whether it can reassure voters on law and order while implementing measures aimed at relieving pressure on the criminal justice system.
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