Overview

• The Sentencing Council has postponed implementing guidelines aimed at addressing sentencing disparities for minority and vulnerable groups, citing imminent legislation that would render them unlawful.
• Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood plans to introduce emergency legislation this week to formally block the guidelines, which critics argue undermine equality before the law.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer and opposition figures, including Robert Jenrick, have expressed strong opposition to the guidelines, citing concerns over public confidence in the justice system.
• The guidelines, influenced by the 2017 Lammy Review, proposed mandatory pre-sentence reports for offenders from certain demographics, sparking debate over judicial independence and resource allocation.
• The government is considering broader reforms to the Sentencing Council, including the possibility of abolishing the body, as part of a larger review of its role and powers.