Labour plans to cram two prisoners into cells built for one as jail system holds 5,500 over safe capacity

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Prison bosses have ordered governors at ten category C jails to install second beds in prefabricated single-occupancy cells, with leaked documents revealing the scheme would squeeze two inmates into each pod-style unit. Prison officers' leaders have warned the plan could trigger walkouts over health and safety, while the Prison Governors' Association cautioned that without proper risk assessments, security across affected jails could be compromised. The Ministry of Justice insists "no final decision" has been taken.

The so-called rapid deployment cells — steel-framed prefab pods with a bed, lavatory and shower — were designed for single occupancy.

The scheme would create just 476 extra spaces, a fraction of the shortfall, after Labour's early-release U-turns left the system scrambling.

Howard League chief Andrea Coomber called it 'the latest in a series of acts of desperation' as 'more and more people get crammed in.'