Breaking news in Rishi Sunak’s budget: £3.8 billion for the “biggest prison-building programme in a generation”.
There are already more than 80,000 prisoners but Rishi is expecting more to book in. A small digression but interesting to see the data on prisoners from overseas.
Well done Nigeria! Your prize is a couple of Benin bronzes from Jesus College Cambridge. I once flew over south west London in a helicopter and was shocked to see how many prisons there are already. It’s depressing that the prison population is expected to grow.
Last week I visited The Old Bailey; my second visit. The first was a week on jury duty. Fortified by a glass or two of white wine in the Judges’ dining room, two Sheriffs gave short addresses and we were assigned to guides to show us round.
The Grand Hall under the dome needed refurbishment because of war damage and re-opened in 1952 with murals remembering the Blitz. After enjoying the architecture and decoration we were reminded of the grim day-to-day goings on. Number One Court is where the worst offenders are tried and our guide, a retired murder squad wallah, took pleasure in telling us about them before taking us down to the cells. Unlike Eton, prisoners share cells. It was an extremely informative and interesting tour arranged by the Master of the Loriners.
Should you be determined to throw away your life in prison Time might hang heavy. A prisoner at HMP Bronzefield solved a problem we all have rather imaginatively. She made a Corpus crucifix out of a bar of soap and was nominated for a Koestler Awards prize. Few, if any, great sculptors work in soap but that is what makes this prisoner’s contribution so special. The winners of the Koestler Awards are on show at the Royal Festival Hall.
Hats off to plucky little Albania. The Tosks and the Ghegs( think Turkish for hills)have run the table to 999 in HM custody. The Albanians are punching above their weight. The Nigerians deserve a hats off given by Christopher.