PMQs: Keir Starmer attacks Rishi Sunak over courts backlog

Sir Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of losing control of court services and letting violent criminals go free because of record backlogs.

The Labour leader said the Tories had taken a "wrecking ball" to the criminal justice system.

But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Sir Keir was "soft on criminals".

He added that his party had toughened up sentencing powers so criminals spent longer in prison.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir attacked Mr Sunak personally for the state of the criminal justice system.

"Can't the prime minister see because they have lost control of the court service, because they have created the largest court backlog on record, he is letting violent criminals go free?" the Labour leader asked.

Crown Courts in England and Wales ended last year with a backlog of 61,737 cases - the highest year-end figure on record, although down from a peak in the autumn.

But Mr Sunak hit back, accusing Sir Keir of watering down punishments when he sat on the sentencing council, which issues guidelines to courts, in his previous role as director of public prosecutions.

"That's why they call him Sir Softy. Soft on crime. Soft on criminals," he added.

It comes after Labour put out a number of adverts on Twitter last week, attacking Mr Sunak's record on crime.