London, April 02, 2025 – The UK government has revealed plans to bring in a new law. This law will stop sentencing rules that treat ethnic minority offenders differently. The announcement came yesterday, and the government wants to act fast.
The Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, will take the bill to Parliament today, April 1st, 2025. The goal is to turn it into law quickly. The UK government says this new rule will block guidelines made by the Sentencing Council. Those guidelines were set to start today.
The Sentencing Council’s rules would have let judges use Pre-Sentencing Reports in a new way. These reports help judges decide punishments. The guidelines suggested different sentences based on a person’s ethnicity or culture. The government says this is not fair.
Shabana Mahmood, the Lord Chancellor, shared her worries. “These rules could make justice depend on race, culture, or religion,” she said. “That’s not right. Everyone should be equal under the law. It’s how people trust our courts.”
Fast Action in Parliament
The government wants this law to move quickly through Parliament. The bill is called the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Bill. It will make clear that sentencing rules must treat everyone the same. No group should get special treatment.
Mahmood said speed is key. The bill will start in the House of Commons. From there, it will go through the steps needed to become law. The government hopes it gets Royal Assent soon.
Why the Government Objects
The Lord Chancellor did not like the Sentencing Council’s plan. She formally objected to it. The guidelines were supposed to begin on April 1st, 2025. Mahmood said they would treat offenders differently based on their ethnicity or religion. She believes this goes against fairness in the courts.
“I’m stepping in to fix this,” Mahmood said. “I’ll change the law to keep our justice system fair. I thank the Sentencing Council for waiting while Parliament looks at this bill.” The delay gives time to talk more and check the rules.
What Was the Problem?
The Sentencing Council wanted to use Pre-Sentencing Reports in a new way. These reports give judges details about an offender before sentencing. The proposed rules said ethnicity or culture could change the punishment. For example, someone from one background might get a lighter sentence than someone from another. The government saw this as unequal treatment.
Mahmood and the government want to stop this. They say justice must be the same for all. The new law will make sure Pre-Sentencing Reports don’t lead to unfair outcomes.
What’s Next for Sentencing in the UK?
This new law aims to keep things equal in the justice system. The government wants Pre-Sentencing Reports to stay useful but not cause discrimination. They are acting fast to block the Sentencing Council’s plan.
This move shows the government’s focus on fairness. They want people to trust the courts. By stopping these guidelines, they hope to protect that trust. The bill is a clear message: everyone gets the same treatment under the law.
Why It Matters
Equality in the justice system is a big deal. People need to feel the courts are fair. The government says the old guidelines could have hurt that trust. With this law, they aim to fix the problem before it starts.
The Sentencing Council has paused its plan for now. This gives Parliament time to debate and pass the bill. If it becomes law, sentencing rules will stay equal for all. The government hopes this keeps the public’s faith in justice strong.