Phi Wire Hand Picked Politics - Live

  • Eric Pickles | we won't be stopped by stupid officialdom from flying our flags with pride http:...

    • source icon
    • 12:53
    • http://t.co/ekhKDq2jda

  • Nick Clegg's letter today " This is an open, diverse and generous nation" sums i...

    • source icon
    • 10:52
    • Olly Grender

  • Conservative Home | Unsexy perhaps, but deadly serious - the Coalition must not fail on infrastructu...

    • source icon
    • 09:05
    • ToryDiary

  • Paul Linford | Why the Coalition won't last the course

    • source icon
    • 09:00
    • Paul Linford

  • TSE | The 2015 General Election: Will the Liberal Democrats make net gains?

    • source icon
    • 07:34
    • PoliticalBetting

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

PoliticsHome. All Todays Politics In One Place

Story Tracker

Select Story:

Row over riot sentences

Row over riot sentences

David Cameron has hit back at accusations by Lib Dem MPs that sentences for rioters had been too harsh. Simon Hughes called on courts to be "sympathetic" to first time offenders, while David Ward described plans to withdraw offenders' benefits as "nuts", and Tessa Munt said the plans were "bonkers, bonkers, bonkers". Lib Dem Lord Carlile has said that ministers appeared to "steer" the courts over the toughness of the sentences.

But the Prime Minister said: "You weren't in court, I wasn't in court, it's up to the courts to make decisions about sentencing. They've decided to send a tough message and it's very good the courts feel able to do that." Communities Secretary Eric Pickles earlier said "exemplary sentences are necessary".

Fellow Tory MP Gavin Barwell, whose Croydon constituency was one of the worse hit, told 5live this morning: “I think the vast majority of the people who I represent in Parliament will be pleased to see these sentences... It’s really important, the confidence in our criminal justice system."

Sir Menzies Campbell said that politicians should "keep out" of discussions on what sentences should be given to rioters. “My view is that politicians should neither be cheering nor booing when it comes to the matter of sentencing. I take that position because Politicians make the laws, police enforce the law and it is for judges to implement the law".

Two men were jailed for four years each yesterday for inciting riots on Facebook, in what Judge Andrew Gilbart called a "clear and unambiguous message" to rioters and looters.

Related News

Green Box: Row over riot sentencesClick to open

+ Expand all - Collapse all

Recommended External Links

Full access for £22 a month...

PoliticsHome PRO Find out more

Related PRO Content

Free Trial

On air

Gavin Barwell: Majority of people will be pleased to see the rioting sentences

17/08/2011 on BBC Radio 5live Breakfast

On air

David Davies: Sentences for Facebook pair are 'entirely appropriate'

17/08/2011 on BBC News

On air

Tom Brake: We should be looking at restorative justice

17/08/2011 on BBC News

On air

Simon Hughes: Court should be lenient to first-time offenders

17/08/2011 on Boulton & Co, Sky News

On air

Michael Howard: Judges should be obliged to take context into account

17/08/2011 on Boulton & Co, Sky News

On air

Rehman Crishti: "Severe punishment is right and proper" for rioters

17/08/2011 on Sky News

On air

Sir Menzies Campbell: Politicians should 'keep out' of riot sentences

17/08/2011 on PM, Radio 4

On air

Richard Harrington: Riot sentences have to act as a deterrent

17/08/2011 on Sky News

On air

Michael Howard: Riot sentences must be 'considered in context'

17/08/2011 on Channel 4 News

On air

Lord Carlile: Criminal judges are extremely experienced

17/08/2011 on BBC News

On air

Jack Straw: Prison is a punishment of last resort

17/08/2011 on Newsnight, BBC2

Latest PRO Content

Free Trial

On Air

Summaries and transcripts from TV and radio

Stephen Timms: Anti-Muslim hate crime increase is not surprising

9 minutes ago on BBC News

Dominic Raab: Elect Parliament Bill committees to increase scrutiny

1 hour ago on Week in Westminster, BBC Radio 4

Graham Allen: Parliament needs more post-legislative scrutiny

1 hour ago on Week In Westminster, BBC Radio 4

See all On Air

Commons Reports

MPs pass equal marriage bill

21/05/2013

Transcript

Extracts of Nick Clegg speech on community cohesion

24/05/2013

See all Transcripts

Press Releases

Yvette Cooper: Some people are trying to use vile attack in Woolwich as excuse for more hatred and extremism; we must not let them

19 minutes ago

See all Press Releases

Lobby Briefings

No 10: PM echoes Hunt comments on Nicholson

21/05/2013

See all Lobby Briefings