David Lammy responds to UN special rapporteur on torture's assessment of UK Government's policy on detained children

“Since the start of this pandemic Labour has been clear that it is totally wrong to leave children in custody locked up in their cells for 23 hours per day.

“Treating children like this will increase the chances of them re-offending, damage their mental health and ultimately mean that there are more victims of crime in the future.”

“The government’s extreme and cruel approach is a result of their incompetent failure to get control of the virus.”

Ends

Note to editors

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/oct/27/uk-covid-policy-for-children-in-detention-cruel-and-inhumane-says-un-expert