Prisoners celebrate as they walk free from jail on day government releases inmates early to ease overcrowding

Prisoners celebrated today as they walked free from jail on the same day the government released inmates early to ease overcrowding.

Footage filmed outside HMP Manchester on Tuesday (22 October), showed inmates walking out of the prison gates to be greeted by friends and family.

Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood has said a review into sentencing will look at handing out more punishments to offenders outside of prison.

Around 1,100 inmates are due to be freed as part of Labour’s policy to free up prison space.

The review, chaired by former justice secretary David Gauke, aims to explore tougher punishments outside prison while making sure there is space to hold the most dangerous offenders.