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| Prison staff urged to 'protest' over safety, POA union says | Prison staff urged to 'protest' over safety, POA union says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Prison staff in England and Wales have been urged to take "protest action" over violence and safety concerns, the Prison Officers' Association has said. | Prison staff in England and Wales have been urged to take "protest action" over violence and safety concerns, the Prison Officers' Association has said. |
| Steve Gillan, POA general secretary, called for union members to protest outside their work from 07:00 BST on Friday until "instructed otherwise". | Steve Gillan, POA general secretary, called for union members to protest outside their work from 07:00 BST on Friday until "instructed otherwise". |
| There was "unprecedented levels of violence" behind bars, the union said. | There was "unprecedented levels of violence" behind bars, the union said. |
| It comes after an inspection report on Thursday found inmates had effectively taken control at HMP Bedford. | It comes after an inspection report on Thursday found inmates had effectively taken control at HMP Bedford. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said industrial action by prison officers is illegal so the "walkout may not last long". | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said industrial action by prison officers is illegal so the "walkout may not last long". |
| 'Lip service' | 'Lip service' |
| The POA accused the government of overseeing "the demise of the prison service over the last eight years." | The POA accused the government of overseeing "the demise of the prison service over the last eight years." |
| In a statement, Mr Gillan said ministers had been "paying lip service" to the safety and human rights of prison staff. | |
| "We will now be demanding that the government provide safe prisons, meet our demands to improve personal protective equipment, reduce levels of violence and overcrowding," he added. | "We will now be demanding that the government provide safe prisons, meet our demands to improve personal protective equipment, reduce levels of violence and overcrowding," he added. |
| The union said the decision to call for a protest followed a letter from the chief inspector of prisons, issuing an urgent notification notice at HMP Bedford, published on Thursday. | The union said the decision to call for a protest followed a letter from the chief inspector of prisons, issuing an urgent notification notice at HMP Bedford, published on Thursday. |
| Inspectors said they found HMP Bedford prisoners regularly ignored rules, that there was a smell of drugs "pervading" some wings and an infestation of rats. | Inspectors said they found HMP Bedford prisoners regularly ignored rules, that there was a smell of drugs "pervading" some wings and an infestation of rats. |
| Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, sent a letter to Justice Secretary David Gauke, which means the government has to publish a response and plan of action for the jail within 28 days. | Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, sent a letter to Justice Secretary David Gauke, which means the government has to publish a response and plan of action for the jail within 28 days. |
| It is the fourth jail to be subject to the "urgent notification" process after Nottingham, Exeter and Birmingham. | It is the fourth jail to be subject to the "urgent notification" process after Nottingham, Exeter and Birmingham. |