Andy Aitchison

Call to crack down on ‘hooch’ and medicine in prisons after Dorset death Coroner asks ministers to reduce inmates’ access to illicitly brewed alcohol and medication after prisoner died

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Our Médecins Sans Frontières staff are being killed in Gaza. Why are UK ministers enabling that? | Natalie Roberts Britain has a duty to act morally, and stop supporting this genocide, says Médecins Sans Frontières UK executive director Dr Natalie Roberts

Absolute despair that this still has to be shouted about.

When will killing of children, health workers and starving people trying to get food stop?

Another important campaign I worked on for Oxfam with the incredible Lisa Rutherford.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Should taxpayers pay for solar panels to be installed on homes?

Solar panels can be installed on flats thanks to work from Emergent Energy's Reg Platt. He says taxpayers foot clean energy upgrade bill.

Great to attend the launch of this report last night, let's hope this is another step in the right direction towards re-sentencing and releasing those serving IPP sentences.

Eight people face the camera in front of a Howard League banner, in a committee room in the House of Lords. A woman with brown hair holds a copy of the report.

Here are some of the members of a working group we convened to explore ways to end the IPP scandal. Have you read their recommendations yet?

The report was launched last night in the House of Lords, and you can read it here: howardleague.org/publications...

📸 @andyaitchison.bsky.social

Keir Starmer must end the injustice of indefinite sentences today Editorial: There are thousands of people in prison in Britain with no release date, serving sentences that were abolished in 2012

‘Keir Starmer must end the injustice of indefinite sentences today’

www.independent.co.uk/voices/edito...

New hope for end to ‘cruel experiment’ of indefinite jail terms Exclusive: Top justice experts urge government to finally end IPP sentences with a string of new measures

"A panel convened by the Howard League will urge the government on Monday to take 'long overdue' action to restore hope to 2,614 inmates still trapped under the outlawed jail terms, which have been described as a 'monstrous blot' on our justice system."

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...

The photo shows a long line of marchers on the People's Assembly march in London with the PCS balloon in the foreground, alongside a People's Assembly banner which reads tax the rich

PCS marchers are in the midst of the action on the @peoplesassembly.bsky.social march in London today, alongside our splendid balloon. Photo by @andyaitchison.bsky.social #WelfareNotWarfare

Exterior view of a houseblock in Coldingley prison. Eight barred windows, arranged in two rows of four, set in a brown brick wall.

There are 87,864 people in prison in England and Wales today.

Explore the 'Prison Watch' section of our website for more information about the prison population: howardleague.org/prison-watch/

📸 @andyaitchison.bsky.social

Drought conditions already hitting UK crop production, farmers say Environment Agency recommends rationing water as UK sees driest start to spring in 69 years

Scandalous.
As the UK faces its driest spring in 69 years, water companies are « simply praying for rain ».
Meanwhile, they’ve handed £85bn to shareholders since privatisation.
We are being scammed. It's time to bring water back in public hands.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Coaches Michael and Frank are busy preparing to deliver Black Hero's Journey in HMP Isis to mark Black Inclusion Week between 12th - 18th May!

Read our Black Hero's Journey Report to find what makes this programme so powerful: www.sparkinside.org/news/black-h...

📸: @andyaitchison.bsky.social

One of the projects I'm most proud of in my career is another step closure to the goal. Thank you @tricksterprince.bsky.social for all your hard work on this, can't wait to see what the team at @bluecoatpress.bsky.social come up with.

Fantastic work @sparkinside.bsky.social So important.

Black ex-prison officer says he has flashbacks after extreme racist abuse at Kent jail Exclusive: Uzo Mbonu describes being targeted and ‘completely isolated’ by colleagues at HMP Swaleside

A very worrying story, if certain officers are treating their colleagues like this how do we think they are treating the people locked up? www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Finally a sensible solution. Accepting people in France could stop the dangerous small boats overnight and give people a much safer way to get to the UK.

this post is brilliant for their social media account, whoever does Comms for the @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social deserves a pay rise. I had no idea it was that far down.

Muslim prisoners in England more likely to be subjected to force, charity finds Freedom of information requests reveal disproportionate use of batons and rigid handcuffs for Muslims behind bars

Muslim prisoners in England more likely to be subjected to force, charity finds
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Accreditation for Shannon Trust literacy mentors Prisoners who volunteer as Shannon Trust mentors to teach other prisoners to read will receive nationally-recognised qualifications under a scheme introduced by the charity. The awards, accredited …

Really proud of the work I have done over the last 8 years with the @shannontrust.bsky.social, great to see their fantastic mentors getting official accreditation for their hard work. They really are changing lives.
insidetime.org/uncategorise...

Security fencing at Guys Marsh prison.

There are 87,919 men, women and children in prison in England and Wales today.

The number rose by 235 last week – about one-sixth of the capacity of Millsike, the new jail just opened.

We cannot build our way out of this crisis: howardleague.org/prison-watch/

📸 @andyaitchison.bsky.social

A landing inside Erlestoke prison.

The prison population in England and Wales keeps rising.

Today it stands at 87,684. That's...

• 128 more than this time last week.

• 8,344 more than the system is designed to hold.

Find out more: howardleague.org/prison-watch/

📸 @andyaitchison.bsky.social

Exterior view of C wing at Coldingley prison.

The prison population in England and Wales continues to rise.

Yesterday, it stood at 87,416. There are 100 more people in prison than there were last week, but 1,062 fewer than at the same point last year.

howardleague.org/prison-watch/

📸 @andyaitchison.bsky.social

The presumption of guilt Sometimes my work takes me to meetings where I struggle to find anything interesting to write. That certainly does not apply for the meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Committee (APPG) on Misca…

Another great article from Inside Time newspaper. Great work Ray! Illustrated with my picture. tehttps://insidetime.org/ray-says/the-presumption-of-guilt/

Six wealth tax policies that could raise £50 billion - Tax Justice UK The government could raise up to £50 billion by reforming the way it taxes wealth, according to our new research with Patriotic Millionaires UK.​​There is a growing consensus that higher taxation of w...

Due to our huge wealth disparity, a modest wealth tax of 2% on assets over £10million would only affect 200,000 people, but would raise £24Billion a year. Mull on that for a second or two.
taxjustice.uk/blog/six-wea...

UK homes install subsidised heat pumps at record level Government-backed heat pump installations in the UK reached record levels for 2024.

The biggest chunk of household energy bills comes from the exorbitant cost and our reliance on gas for heating and hot water. The government must ensure that more homes are future-proofed with heat pumps, by making sure that they become increasingly more affordable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

UK homes install subsidised heat pumps at record level Government-backed heat pump installations in the UK reached record levels for 2024.

Not my heat pump sadly but my pictures. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

MPs seek clarity on Clearsprings’ mystery offshore payments UAE firm that was allegedly paid for consultancy work says it has never heard of the asylum accommodation provider

📢 Clearsprings - an asylum accommodation provider- is making bumper profits, and now MPs are calling for an ❗urgent investigation into millions of pounds in offshore transactions made by the company

So, why is it so hard for them to provide decent housing? 👀
www.opendemocracy.net/en/clearspri...

An incredible film everyone should watch. It will make you feel very angry though.

Prison should be the last resort of criminal justice | Letters Letters: Readers share their perspectives on prisoner literacy, custodial sentencing and the objective of being ‘tough on crime’

Prison should be the last resort of criminal justice | Letters
www.theguardian.com/society/2025... One of my favourite pictures that I've made in Wandsworth. It's not often I'm told to F-off but this was one of those occasions, shouted from a window.

A very useful summary of the latest Bromley briefings. Illustrated with a picture I took last summer on one of the best wings I've ever worked on.

Lifting the lid on prisons: SENTENCE INFLATION

Are sentences really getting longer?
Why is this happening?
What impact is this having?
Would abolishing short prison sentences solve the crisis?
What should we do instead?

These are the questions we address in our sentencing inflation explainer: howardleague.org/wha...