29/01/2007

Reid pledges to remain as Home Secretary

Home Secretary John Reid has said that he will not resign from his post, but warned that the Home Office faced further problems.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Mr Reid said that it could take two and a half years to reform the beleaguered department, but pledged that he would "see it through".

The Home Office has been surrounded by controversy since last week, when Mr Reid urged judges to take into account the current prison overcrowding crisis when handing down sentences.

Subsequently, two Crown Court judges said that they had decided against jailing two sex offenders because of the overcrowding crisis.

The head of the Youth Justice Board in England and Wales, Rod Morgan, also quit his post on Friday, over overcrowding in youth prisons.

Then, on Saturday, it was reported that the Identity and Passport Service had failed to impose overseas travel bans on 147 people convicted of drugs trafficking.

This was followed by claims in the 'News of the World' that more than 300 registered sex offenders were missing across the UK.

Mr Reid's comments pledging to sort out the problems in the Home Office have raised speculation that he will not challenge Chancellor Gordon Brown to succeed Tony Blair when he steps down as Prime Minister later this year.

(KMcA)


Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 May 2004
Inquiry demanded after theft of sensitive Carr documents
The Tories have called for an immediate inquiry after it emerged last night that documentation concerning the new identity of Maxine Carr had been stolen from a car owned by a Home Office official.
17 April 2009
Green 'Warned Of Life In Prison' Over Home Office Leaks
The Conservative MP who was arrested during an inquiry into Home Office leaks, was warned he would face life imprisonment, he has revealed.
20 July 2006
Reform programme set to make radical changes to the Home Office
Home Secretary John Reid has announced a wide-ranging reform programme designed to fundamentally change the Home Office.
23 May 2006
Reid criticises Home Office
Home Secretary John Reid has criticised the Home Office, claiming that the leadership and management systems have been "inadequate" and branding the immigration system as "not fit for purpose." Mr Reid made his comments to the Home Affairs select committee as he faced questions on immigration control.
30 January 2007
Prison system in 'serious crisis'
The jail system is in "serious crisis" due to the level of overcrowding, the Chief Inspector of Prisons has warned. In her annual report, Anne Owers said that overcrowding in prisons was making it harder to successfully rehabilitate prisoners.