And what about the rest of the coins?

said the scheme had prevented "a total breakdown of law and order".Speaking to MPs, Mahmood said the government is "committed to publishing a 10-year capacity strategy," while "delivering the shortfall of 14,000 places" from the previous government.

An MoJ spokesperson said the government had inherited "a justice system on the verge of collapse".“We have been forced into taking difficult but necessary action, with safeguards in place, so we can keep locking up offenders and protect the public."Those released under the scheme will be subject to "full probation supervision", which will include "tough restrictions" in many cases, the MoJ said.

A drug dealer is waiting to be sentenced after being convicted of killing a customer when an early-hours cocaine sale went wrong.Tyreese Kamau, 25, had admitting stabbing 26-year-old Patrice Che with a kitchen knife at a house in Brereton Road, Bedford, in November 2024 but denied murder and manslaughter.

Kamau, of Rutland Road, Bedford, said he acted in self-defence after being threatened.

Jurors found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on Friday after a trial at Luton Crown Court.But when asked about how people will cope, ministers are inevitably pointing to this increase as evidence of how the government is helping out.

Yes, it is not all doom and gloom today.There is an increase in the minimum wage - up to £12.21 an hour for over 21s - and there are increases too for younger workers and apprentices.

Official figures show that average wages have been rising faster than prices. The state pension and benefits will also go up from next week.This will certainly help pay some of those bills, and you won't see the impact directly until you look at your bank balance in the coming weeks.