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Rape plea proposal 'still being considered' Ken Clarke 'will choose words carefully' after rape row
(40 minutes later)
The government says it is still considering whether rapists should get a 50% reduction in their jail sentences in return for an early guilty plea. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke says he will "choose my words more carefully" after a row over his remarks about rape but dismissed calls for him to quit.
Labour has called on ministers to scrap the proposal, calling it unacceptable. Labour has called on him to step down after he appeared to suggest some rapes were less serious than others.
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has been criticised for comments he made in a BBC radio interview about the idea in which he appeared to suggest some rapes were less serious than others. Mr Clarke said he was simply describing a "long-standing factual situation" in which sentences differ depending on the circumstances of a particular rape.
A Downing Street spokesman said "We are not setting out the policy imminently." The prime minister's spokesman has said he still has confidence in Mr Clarke.
Mr Clarke will face more questions about his remarks on BBC's Question Time later, which will be broadcast from Wormwood Scrubs in west London, with inmates included in the audience.
Currently, offenders who plead guilty at the earliest opportunity are entitled to a reduction in their sentence up to a maximum of 33%.
Resignation call
The row began on Wednesday morning with remarks Mr Clarke gave in an interview on BBC Radio 5 live about proposals under consultation to halve jail terms for people who plead guilty early, including rapists.The row began on Wednesday morning with remarks Mr Clarke gave in an interview on BBC Radio 5 live about proposals under consultation to halve jail terms for people who plead guilty early, including rapists.
He disputed reports that the average sentence for rape was five years - but his remarks that "serious rape" attracted a much longer sentence have been heavily criticised. Currently, offenders who plead guilty at the earliest opportunity are entitled to a reduction in their sentence up to a maximum of 33%.
The government says it is still considering an increase, despite calls from Labour to scrap the idea.
But the Daily Telegraph is reporting that the coalition is on the brink of abandoning the proposal, and the BBC's political correspondent Ross Hawkins said there were growing doubts about whether it could survive the current row.
Mr Clarke will face more questions about his remarks on BBC's Question Time later, which will be broadcast from Wormwood Scrubs in west London, with inmates included in the audience.
Confronted
During the 5 live interview, the justice secretary disputed reports that the average sentence for rape was five years - but his remarks that "serious rape" attracted a much longer sentence have been heavily criticised.
Ken Clarke is probably safe in his job for now.Ken Clarke is probably safe in his job for now.
In part that's because the Labour leader demanded he be sacked, thereby making it almost impossible for Mr Cameron to offer up his scalp.In part that's because the Labour leader demanded he be sacked, thereby making it almost impossible for Mr Cameron to offer up his scalp.
Mr Cameron is also hugely averse to being pushed around by the media.Mr Cameron is also hugely averse to being pushed around by the media.
At the same time Mr Clarke adds ballast and balance to a cabinet which would otherwise be bereft of that rare breed - one-nation, pro-European Tories.At the same time Mr Clarke adds ballast and balance to a cabinet which would otherwise be bereft of that rare breed - one-nation, pro-European Tories.
Longer term, however, there will be some in government who think the old political bruiser should move on.Longer term, however, there will be some in government who think the old political bruiser should move on.
Not just because of today's headlines, but because his manner and tone jar with the more modern, metropolitan image of the Conservative Party that David Cameron has tried to create.Not just because of today's headlines, but because his manner and tone jar with the more modern, metropolitan image of the Conservative Party that David Cameron has tried to create.
When BBC interviewer Victoria Derbyshire told him "rape is rape", he replied: "No it's not, if an 18-year-old has sex with a 15-year-old and she's perfectly willing, that is rape because she is under age, she can't consent. What you and I are talking about is we are talking about a man forcibly having sex with a woman and she doesn't want to - a serious crime."When BBC interviewer Victoria Derbyshire told him "rape is rape", he replied: "No it's not, if an 18-year-old has sex with a 15-year-old and she's perfectly willing, that is rape because she is under age, she can't consent. What you and I are talking about is we are talking about a man forcibly having sex with a woman and she doesn't want to - a serious crime."
He later said he had been responding to the average sentencing figures and had always considered rape to be a serious crime.He later said he had been responding to the average sentencing figures and had always considered rape to be a serious crime.
He was confronted on the radio phone-in show by sex attack victim Gabrielle Browne.He was confronted on the radio phone-in show by sex attack victim Gabrielle Browne.
Mrs Browne, who has waived her right to anonymity, later told the Daily Telegraph: "Ken Clarke didn't listen. His comment about not all rapes really being rape was disgraceful for a man in his position, a man of previous ministerial experience and previous experience as a barrister.Mrs Browne, who has waived her right to anonymity, later told the Daily Telegraph: "Ken Clarke didn't listen. His comment about not all rapes really being rape was disgraceful for a man in his position, a man of previous ministerial experience and previous experience as a barrister.
"He did not show empathy or understanding. If he can't open his eyes and ears and listen and see life from a victim's perspective then he should resign.""He did not show empathy or understanding. If he can't open his eyes and ears and listen and see life from a victim's perspective then he should resign."
Mr Clarke has not apologised for his remarks in general, but he has written to Mrs Browne saying: "I have always believed that all rape is extremely serious, and must be treated as such.Mr Clarke has not apologised for his remarks in general, but he has written to Mrs Browne saying: "I have always believed that all rape is extremely serious, and must be treated as such.
"I am sorry if my comments gave you any other impression or upset you.""I am sorry if my comments gave you any other impression or upset you."
Labour leader Ed Miliband has said Mr Clarke should quit for effectively suggesting there are "other categories of rape".Labour leader Ed Miliband has said Mr Clarke should quit for effectively suggesting there are "other categories of rape".
After Mr Clarke's radio comments, David Cameron told MPs rape was "one of the most serious crimes that there is and it should be met with proper punishment" and the "real disgrace" was that only 6% of reported rape cases ended in a conviction.After Mr Clarke's radio comments, David Cameron told MPs rape was "one of the most serious crimes that there is and it should be met with proper punishment" and the "real disgrace" was that only 6% of reported rape cases ended in a conviction.
The prime minister's spokesman said it was "clearly regrettable" if anybody had been offended by Mr Clarke's comments but said the prime minister had confidence in him.The prime minister's spokesman said it was "clearly regrettable" if anybody had been offended by Mr Clarke's comments but said the prime minister had confidence in him.
He added that no final decision had yet been taken on whether to increase the maximum sentence discount for a guilty plea from 33% to 50%, saying: "Clearly we continue to listen to people's views." He added that no final decision had yet been taken on whether to increase the maximum sentence discount for a guilty plea from 33% to 50%, saying: "We are not setting out the policy imminently and clearly we continue to listen to people's views."
Jail terms Earlier this week, Mr Clarke told the Commons he believed the proposed increase was "likely to survive" the consultation process.
"Rape is rape," said Angie Conroy, policy officer at Rape Crisis. "For every individual woman who is raped, the ordeal is traumatic, it destroys their lives, it takes years to recover from it. But the official body which issues sentencing guidelines in England and Wales has said there is "little evidence" that increasing the reduction in term for an early guilty plea would encourage more offenders to admit their guilt.
"So this idea that some rape is worse than others, I think it's quite outrageous really." The Sentencing Council also said it was unable to identify any jurisdiction in the world where the sentence discount was "significantly higher" than 35%.
But she told BBC Breakfast on Thursday: "I know lots of people are calling for his (Mr Clarke's) resignation, but I think the debate that it's stimulated, and the fact that he has obviously spent a lot of time yesterday thinking about what he said and actually ultimately came back and apologised, I think it's been quite an interesting process.
"I shouldn't think he is going to make those kind of mistakes again in a hurry."
The Question Time audience will include 10 inmates and 10 prison staff as well as 100 members of the public.The Question Time audience will include 10 inmates and 10 prison staff as well as 100 members of the public.