Cherie Blair backs SNP over Labour

CHERIE Blair, the wife of the former prime minister, has dealt an embarrassing blow to Labour by praising the SNP's "courageous" plans to reform Scotland's prison system.

Meanwhile, former first minister Henry McLeish, who led a commission on sentencing for the SNP Government, accused his own party of misleading voters over the proposals, describing their opposition as "ridiculous".

A report headed by Blair into the English prison system has called for an adoption of SNP reforms under which sentences of less than six months will be cut and community sentencing increased.

Scottish Labour insists that the proposals will allow hundreds of dangerous criminals to "dodge jail", leaving communities prey to violent offenders.

SNP ministers want to reduce the number of jail terms of less than six months, claiming they "do more harm than good" by failing to prevent re-offending and causing prison overcrowding.

In courts, there would be a presumption against such short spells in jail, with judges and sheriffs urged instead to consider community sentences where offenders "pay back" to society.

The policy came under renewed pressure last week after new figures showed that hundreds of serious offenders had been given sentences of less than six months in recent years. In 2007-08, 63 people guilty of serious assault and attempted murder received a sentence of less than six months. Labour claimed yesterday that the SNP proposals amounted to a "get out of jail free card".

But the SNP has received fresh support from two of Labour's most prominent figures.

The report by the Commission on English Prisons, headed by Blair, said Scotland "has taken a courageous lead in the UK by taking serious steps to address its prisons crisis".

Launching the commission's report, Blair said last week: "More widespread use of effective community sentences would both allow us to reduce the use of prison and allow for reinvestment of resources into local communities to cut offending".

McLeish hit out at Labour's opposition to the prison reforms.

"Their claims are wholly ridiculous," he said. "They are arguing against something that is not being implemented or recommended by the (Scottish] Government. My appeal to Labour, who were the progressive party, is to read the report (by the Scottish Prisons Commission]. None of it adds up to anything remotely like what they are claiming. They are misleading the public."

He added: "The Labour claims on this are just totally wrong. There is no provision that says every sentence under six months is not allowed. The sheriff still have the right to sentence as they wish."

He went on: "Labour and the Conservatives are saying crime equals punishment equals prison. That strategy has got us into a situation where we are wasting millions of pounds every year, a situation where we are not protecting the public any better and a situation where we have some of the highest re-conviction rates in Europe."

However, Labour insists the effect will be to end all sentences of less than six months. The SNP proposals mean that if judges or sheriffs do impose a sentence of six months or less, they will have to provide a reason at the point of sentencing as to why.

Scottish Labour's community safety spokesman, Paul Martin MSP, said: "The figures on those people receiving six months sentences or less speak for themselves. Under Kenny MacAskill's plans he would essentially be issuing get out of jail free cards to hundreds of dangerous criminals. These plans are simply disastrous. They prove that Kenny MacAskill is soft on crime and failing to deliver."

Martin added: "We are on the side of communities in Scotland who are blighted by crime and who need protection from the kind of individuals who carry out serious assaults and knife crime."

Last week's figures found that since 2003-04, 335 of those found guilty of serious assault were given sentences of less than 182 days. A further three people convicted of attempted murder were also given terms of less than six months.

The data for the most recent year, 2007-8, show 63 people guilty of serious assault were given sentences of six months or less. This represents one in 12 of all those convicted of this offence.

Of the 351 convicted of robbery across Scotland in 2007-8, about a quarter – 85 – were jailed for six months or less, while a fifth of those convicted of crimes of indecency were given terms of less than six months.

Supporters of the new reforms insist that there is no reason why these criminals will still be sent behind bars following the SNP reforms. However, McLeish said: "We have laid out specific criteria where it will still be for the sheriff to decide. The final decision stays with the bench."