The appointment of James Timpson as prisons minister is welcome – indeed it is the most welcome appointment to this position that any sensible person can imagine.
But there are a couple of serious obstacles that he will need to overcome.
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Before those two obstacles are described, however, let us remind ourselves of the Tale of Two Timpsons, for it perhaps tells us something significant about what is now our governing party.
When Edward Timpson – the younger brother of James – was selected as a candidate by the Connservative Party in 2008, this was the infantile response of the Labour Party:
Edward Timpson himself referred to this dreadful, crass campaign in an interview in May this year when he announced he was standing down from parliament:
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So one thing the appointment this week maybe signifies is that the now governing party is rather more politically mature.
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And the appointment also signifies a more mature approach to prisons policy.
(We can only hope that one day there is a similarly mature appointment in respect of drugs policy.)
James Timpson has an outstanding record in respect of rehabilitation of offenders, both at his Timpson business and otherwise.
He is, for example, chair of the Prison Reform Trust:
A post he wrote on appointment is worth reading here.
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“We’re addicted to sentencing, we’re addicted to punishment,” he has said more recently.
“So many of the people in prison in my view shouldn’t be there. A lot should but a lot shouldn’t, and they’re there for far too long.”
This is therefore a sensible and enlightened appointment which deserves hearty applause.
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But.
Timpson has (at least) two obstacles in his new position – and it cannot be certain that he can overcome them.
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The first obstacle is that the track record of business people appointed as ministers indicates that they tend not to be successful as politicians.
There was John Davies under then Prime Minister Edward Heath, and he was not a conspicuous success.
There was David Young under then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who, despite been adept at telling her what she wanted to hear (“Other people bring me problems; David brings me solutions,” she is quoted as saying), was otherwise not a conspicuous success.
There was Archie Norman under then Leader of the Opposition William Hague, and he was not a conspicuous success (“I was the first FTSE-100 chairman to sit in the House of Commons and I will almost certainly be the last,” he said afterwards).
And there was Digby Jones under then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was also not a conspicuous success.
One reason for none of these business people being successful as politicians is that being good at business does not automatically mean that one will be good at politics.
Being good at politics requires specific skills – and there is no particular reason why a business person will have those skills.
That said, James Timpson is more than just a good businessman, he is a committed and knowledgable prison reformer – and this may make the difference where other business people have failed as front bench politicians.
But the reason this really matters in this instance is because of the second obstacle.
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The second obstacle to James Timpson being successful as prisons minister is the structurally and politically weak position of being a mere minister of state in the Ministry of Justice – both against the Treasury and in respect of the news media.
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Since 2005 prisons have been under the Ministry of Justice, having been moved over from the Home Office.
To an extent this was a good thing, for the less power the Home Office has over anything, the better.
But it was also a bad thing, for the it turned the Ministry of Justice from what was the old Lord Chancellor’s Department into a “spending” department.
And not only a spending department, but a small spending department – the worst of both possible worlds.
Part of the problem the Ministry of Justice has had since 2005 – under all administrations – is its weak position vis-a-vis the Treasury.
At least the Home Office had some departmental heft and a senior cabinet presence in its battles for public money; the Ministry of Justice almost has none.
And Timpson will not even be head of this department – the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice is Shabana Mahmood (another welcome appointment).
Mahmood in turn will be fighting for money for the courts system and legal aid, as well as for probation and prisons. This puts Timpson further back in the queue for public money – to the extent any changes he wants to bring about requires investment.
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And it will not only be the Treasury that will be need to be won over.
The right-of-centre news media is still wedded to the notion that prison works. They are, to use a phrase, “addicted to sentencing…addicted to punishment”.
It will take only one unfortunate incident of something done by an early released prisoner, and there will be a news-media fire storm.
Such a prospect would be daunting for even a seasoned politician saying prison works.
Those with long memories will recall how prisons failures engulfed David Waddington, one of the biggest hangers-and-floggers ever to be Home Secretary:
When prisons and probation things go wrong they are easy copy for time-poor news media. The screaming headlines will write themselves.
It is one thing to have warm applause and general goodwill on appointment, it is another thing when there is a horrific story on the front pages.
Being a prisons minister who believes in prisons working is hard enough.
Being a prisons minister who wants to achieve fundamental yet enlightened change is far harder.
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So the task now before James Timpson is immense: to quickly become an effective Whitehall and Westminster politician so as to bring about a change in policy direction, in the faces of both a parsimonious Treasury and potential outright news-media hostility.
He has to bring about fundamental change to Whitehall’s long-settled prisons policy – one of the most difficult ‘asks’ in politics.
Yes, it is a brilliant, heartening appointment.
And if anyone can do it, James Timpson can. But it will not be easy.
One can only wish him good fortune.
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An excellent summary. The only thing I would add is that – even without new funding – creativity, new thinking and new approaches can be brought to this job and can bring benefit.
rory stewart’s “politics on the edge” was enlightening
he gave it a pretty good go, but am unaware of his legacy
It is sentencing that needs the reform as well as the prisons. No short sentences under 12 months and no custodial sentences for most women and none for pregnant women. This shouldn’t cost too much money.
That would have provided a convenient (and literal) get out of jail free card for Lucy Letby. Who cares how many babies she murdered? As long as she managed to get pregnant before sentencing (and news from HMP Wandsworth suggests it wouldn’t be difficult) she’d be fine.
Thoughtful intelligent post- much to be glad and concerned about. the mechanics of making change happen are so tricky and it is very helpful to have these set out so clearly.
Wish I had something trenchant and challenging to say but really this is just a “keep it up” you’re doing a fine job sort of comment!
One factor in his favour is that his methods should save money, not require it. The prison population has doubled since 1990. Imagine the savings if we could get back to that level.
There’s an old aphorism ” it it was easy, we’d all be doing it..”
Bringing in external talent isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing – Gordon Brown tried it when one became a GOAT – Government of all Talent.
It’s one of the axioms of being in government – it’s fiendishly difficult to do – legal, economic, financial, cultural & moral constraints all play their part.
As as already been noted – The new PM & his government have very high expectations put on them & rightly so after what’s happened – he knows via Tony Blair that he has to use his political capital quickly & effectively. I actually think the appointment of James Timpson is quite insightful – yes, he’ll need support & top cover – the proof will, of course be in the pudding & eating.
The new policies will need to be carefully thought through, not rushed – getting it wrong could have horrific implications as you’ve alluded too – get it right & society becomes a massive beneficiary – I for one wish the new minister well & those of his colleagues.
Doing a bit of voluntary work on the inside I applaud the appointment.
However, until those leaving prison have decent jobs, accomodation and access to good MH and addiction services it may still be a bit of a revolving door.
Additionally, more needs to be done keeping folk out of prison in the first place. Investment in early years appears to be a successful initiative.
They’re not so much questions for Timpson rather Reeves as both require spending commitments. Though, as it’s cheaper to send someone to Eton rather than my local jail perhaps a change of priorities is possible.
“Being good at politics requires specific skills – and there is no particular reason why a business person will have those skills.”
Apart from those who dedicate all their energies from age 16 to becoming a career-politician, could you not say the same of an M.P. hailing from any professional background, e.g., microbiology?
Or indeed law.
Many great lawyers – eg Edward Marshall Hall – were not good as politicians.
He’s no ordinary business person, though.
“Timpson’s boss on upside-down management and business secrets”
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ways-to-change-the-world-with-krishnan-guru-murthy/id1359195562
The issue about money may be resolved slightly more easily than you think. The fact that this appointment has been made is an indication that Starmer has given a lot of thought to the prison situation. If that is right then the Treasury may well be more receptive to a request for more money for prison reform than a request for money for other areas of the justice system. At least I hope so.
This is an interesting article and the identification of the issues are right. But Starmer is a former DPP and has specifically said he wants change in this area. It’s is precisely why he’s appointed Timpson and I don’t think Starmer’s a PM who’s done it for show or to leave Timpson to stew in impotence.
Absolutely correct Steve.
Managers of departments in a business are not required to define the objectives or even to defend them. They are doers. It is incumbent on Starmer to provide the considerable political capital Mr Timpson will need to operate.
Mr Timpson can almost certainly be relied on to convert it into cash.
On 6th July, Sir Keir said we do not have too many convicted prisoners, we have too few prisons.
On 7th July, he appointed James Timpson as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation.
Timpson thinks only a third of those in prison should be there.
Sir Keir’s Labour Government wants to send more people to prison.
Earlier this year, Sue Gray intervened in a discussion over locking up more offenders to ask not if it would be an effective way to reduce crime or if it would place a greater burden on our crumbling criminal justice system, but to ask if there were enough prisons to house an increasing number of convicted offenders.
Labour Government in Government is now talking about building mini prisons (for which it will award itself planning permission?).
But who will design and build these prisons?
Check out 1122, 2451 to 2455 and 5311 to 5330 on the Home Office’s Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes list.
Who will staff them?
Check out 1163 and 3314 on the Home Office’s Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes list.
Visas are even available for prison governors.
Sir Keir, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper want fewer migrants working in our economy and for public sector workers to accept below inflation pay rises in the context of an ageing, shrinking domestic workforce, business owning class and pool of entrepreneurial talent.
Hopefully, John Timpson’s view will prevail, except that might be beset with problems if he wants to put resources into more rehabilitation through education and training.
Check out 2319, 2462, 3229 and 3572 to 3574 on the Home Office’s Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes list.
I never ceased to be annoyed by politicians, whatever their political stripe talking about doing more training of UK citizens when we have a shortage of trainers.
I suppose, Yvette Cooper could penalise the Prison Service and other stakeholders for not training up enough people who do not exist with non existent trainers to address the body shortage by, as announced during the General Election campaign denying them access to visas to recruit staff from overseas.
To adapt a quote from Winston Churchill, as the sturm and drang of what Michael Heseltine expected to be the most dishonest General Election of his 91 years subsides the energy sapping subject of Hard Brexit emerges once again.
It says a great deal for the power which Brexit has, to lay its hands upon the vital strings of British life and politics, and to hold, dominate, and convulse, General Election after General Election, the politics of this country.
James Timpson, incidentally, was selected by then Prime Minister, Theresa May in 2018 to co-chair one of five business councils to advise on how to create the best conditions for UK businesses after Brexit. He was the co-chair of the Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Council.
I am heartened by his appointments it at least shows some willingness to be open to a more enlightened view on prisons.
Yes it is difficult and money is always an issue, specially with the criminal justice system. Of course, it’s not possible to suddenly release the “third of prisoners who shouldn’t be there” but with around 85,000 prisoners (a third = over 28,000) at a cost of almost £50,000 per year to keep them there, that’s potentially a helluva lot of money which could be spent on a better and more effective prison policy.
Sensible post but hopefully not optimistic enough. The points raised highlight why the issue must be part of one of the presumably Department-cross-cutting missions. Having the support of and additional drive from the Home Sec is also crucial. I’d bet there’s a decent chance – though the MoJ’s perceived lack of clout is a worry. Need to keep the issue in the vision of key cabinet members and hope for some cross-civil service goodwill. Fingers crossed re this HMT.
The original Government, correction, Ministry Of All the Talents 1806 to 1807 had comparatively little success.
It abolished the slave trade in Britain in 1807 before breaking up the same year over the question of (Irish) Catholic Emancipation.
Today, Sir Keir opposes Irish Reunification and Rachel Reeves, we learnt yesterday wants Northern Ireland to generate more of its own income for government spending which unfortunately was then clarified by Hilary Benn as NI being a burden on the British taxpayer.
Yes, the Irish Question is hoving into view again.
A bus with a slogan “NI costs £450m/week, let’s spend it on the NHS instead?”
One wonders how Digby Jones ever acquired any reputation for competence. He averred that 90% of Irish exports go to the UK, implying that Ireland was weak and could be dictated to. The actual figure was 11%, much of it for food for which demand is relatively inelastic. Since then the UK’s annual trade surplus with Ireland has evaporated as the Irish prefer the EU single market. Ireland was the UK’s 5th largest and 2nd most profitable market. Ireland’s trade with the UK has grown in value but fallen as a share of total Irish exports, in part as Irish exporters enjoy substituting for GB ones in the EU. Digby Jones was just a clown with notions. Who knew?
Paul Krugman coined the term “very serious people” for such folk.
I sincerely hope Timpson is a success. Our prison system is broken (along with most of the justice system). It is a huge ask for him to turn prisons around in 1 term.
Congratulations on a well written, knowledgeable, and well researched article, which adds usefully to what “most people know” on this unfashionable subject.