Labour leader Andy Burnham has pledged to abolish imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences during the current parliament, describing the move as “a step towards healing”. Campaigners have hailed the announcement as a long‑awaited victory, yet they stress that the action is decades overdue. The commitment comes as official figures reveal that more than 850 people remain behind bars under a sentence that was formally scrapped a dozen years ago, while a further 1,400 former inmates have been recalled to custody after being released on licence.
The political promise and its context
Burnham made the declaration on BBC Breakfast, framing the decision as a matter of “commonsense” and public fairness. He explained that many individuals currently serving IPP terms have “more than served their time”, yet the existing scheme kept them imprisoned while some serious offenders were released early. The former Greater Manchester mayor said he had made the “judgment” that the public would prefer offenders who have completed their sentences to be set free rather than remain indefinitely. To ensure public safety, he announced the creation of a cross‑party oversight group that will examine how the termination of IPP sentences is implemented, taking into account community risk, national security, and related concerns. The government will introduce legislation before the end of the parliamentary term to bring the sentencing regime to a definitive close.
Human cost: stories that define the debate
The statistics behind the pledge tell only part of the story. Marc Conway, a former IPP prisoner who now leads the campaign group Ungripp, described the announcement as “an essential first step”. Conway, who helped stop the London Bridge terrorist Usman Khan in 2019, was sentenced to an IPP for armed robbery. He has spoken of his fear that his heroic act could have landed him back behind bars under the terms of his indeterminate sentence. “This is a day that thousands of families have spent years fighting for,” he said. “For too long, their loved ones have been trapped by a sentence that was acknowledged as flawed over a decade ago.” Conway warned that legislation alone cannot erase two decades of damage, but it marks the beginning of a process of healing.
The personal toll is starkly illustrated by the case of Tommy Nicol, who took his own life while serving an IPP. Nicol had been handed a minimum tariff of four years for robbery. After six years behind bars, he was told he would not be eligible for another parole hearing for at least two more years. His mental health deteriorated sharply, and he died a few months later. In a handwritten complaint filed nine months before his death, Nicol described the sentence as “psychological torture of a person who is doing 99 years”. His sister, Donna, has become a prominent campaigner against the IPP regime. Reflecting on the announcement, she said: “When I heard the announcement today, my heart instantly split in two. Half of me felt a profound sense of relief for the thousands of families who have spent years living in the same horrific limbo that destroyed my family. The other half of me was crushed by the absolute, unbearable pain that this decision comes 10 years too late for my brother, Tommy.” Donna’s plea to the government is clear: “words are not enough. Implementation must be swift, clear and compassionate. Every day this takes to enact is another day someone’s son, brother or father is driven to the brink of despair.” She added that nothing will bring Tommy back, but if the announcement prevents other families from standing where she now stands, his legacy and the fight of every IPP family will finally have achieved the justice he was denied.
The scale of the problem
Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service data for 30 June 2026 show that 856 people are still incarcerated under IPP sentences. Eight out of ten of those have served at least ten years beyond the minimum term at which they could have applied for parole. A further 1,415 former IPP inmates have been recalled to custody after being released on licence, highlighting the ongoing strain on the prison system and the families involved. The licence regime has undergone recent changes: the previous ten‑year period before a licence could be removed was overturned last year, and IPP prisoners may now seek termination of their licence after two years in the community, with automatic termination after four years.
Road to implementation: oversight and support
Ungripp has urged the Ministry of Justice and probation services to ensure that the abolition is carried out swiftly, transparently, and with comprehensive community and mental‑health support for those transitioning out of custody. The cross‑party oversight group promised by Burnham will be tasked with mapping out the practical steps needed to release those still serving IPP terms, to manage any risks they may pose, and to coordinate support services. Campaigners stress that the end of the sentence must be accompanied by robust resettlement programmes, counselling, and employment assistance to prevent a resurgence of reoffending and to address the deep psychological scars left by two decades of indefinite detention.
Why it Matters
The pledge to end IPP sentences represents a pivotal moment in the United Kingdom’s criminal‑justice landscape. For more than two decades, families have endured a “horrific limbo” that many described as psychological torture, while the legal system retained a sentence that had been officially condemned. Burnham’s commitment signals not only a legislative correction but also a moral reckoning, acknowledging that a system meant to protect the public should not become a source of endless suffering for individuals who have already served substantial periods of time. The success of this initiative will be measured not just by the speed of its enactment, but by the quality of the support provided to those released, ensuring that the closure of IPP does not merely end a sentence but also begins a genuine pathway to reintegration and healing. The stakes are high: every delay risks further loss of life and erodes public confidence in the justice system. If implemented with the urgency and compassion demanded by campaigners, the move could finally deliver the justice that was denied to Tommy Nicol and countless others, marking a true turning point for the nation’s approach to public protection and rehabilitation.
