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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Tory plan to scrap early release | Tory plan to scrap early release |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Conservatives are pledging to end the early release scheme which would see 25,000 prisoners freed from jail this year to ease overcrowding. | |
| Instead, a Tory government would fund 1,200 more prison places by scrapping ID cards, leader David Cameron said. | |
| About 6,000 prisoners have so far been released before the end of their sentences to ease prison overcrowding. | About 6,000 prisoners have so far been released before the end of their sentences to ease prison overcrowding. |
| But the Tories say the scheme puts lives at risk, leaves crimes unpunished and interrupts rehabilitation. | But the Tories say the scheme puts lives at risk, leaves crimes unpunished and interrupts rehabilitation. |
| The Tory announcement in Blackpool comes as speculation mounts that Prime Minister Gordon Brown is preparing to call a general election. | The Tory announcement in Blackpool comes as speculation mounts that Prime Minister Gordon Brown is preparing to call a general election. |
| We will be saying we have got to stop the early release of 25,000 prisoners this year David Cameron | |
| The Times newspaper reports Labour has asked the biggest unions to pay next year's party affiliation fees now - a move it says would instantly raise £6m for the party. | The Times newspaper reports Labour has asked the biggest unions to pay next year's party affiliation fees now - a move it says would instantly raise £6m for the party. |
| The trade unions have also reportedly been told to activate their call centres in preparation for an election, with senior union sources believing Mr Brown will make an announcement on Tuesday. | The trade unions have also reportedly been told to activate their call centres in preparation for an election, with senior union sources believing Mr Brown will make an announcement on Tuesday. |
| The Tories expect concern about crime to top voters' agenda on polling day - making shadow home secretary David Davis' speech later on Tuesday a key element of David Cameron's pledged "fight back" against Labour. | |
| Ready to go | |
| Mr Cameron told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Today we'll be talking about how we make our country safer, how we end the early release from prisons scheme that is seeing 25,000 prisoners each year released early onto our streets. | |
| "We think that's wrong and we're making a tough choice - we're saying scrap the ID cards scheme, we don't think it will work. | |
| "We think it'll cost huge amounts of money and we could use some of the savings from that to build extra prison places within existing prisons." | |
| Asked if the Conservatives could beat Labour in a snap election, he said: "We believe we can. We are ready for an election. If the prime minister calls it, we are ready to go." | |
| Commenting on reports that the government might be about to announce a troop withdrawal from Iraq, Mr Cameron added: "I will always put the national interest first. | |
| "And in Iraq, if we are ready to withdraw troops, I will be delighted with that and they will have my backing if they get that right." | |
| The party has a long-standing commitment to scrap identity cards. | The party has a long-standing commitment to scrap identity cards. |
| Re-offending | |
| It believes it can save £255.4m in the first three years, with the first priority for these savings being the provision of extra prison places, enabling the Tories to end Labour's early release scheme. | It believes it can save £255.4m in the first three years, with the first priority for these savings being the provision of extra prison places, enabling the Tories to end Labour's early release scheme. |
| It plans to use £162.6m to build and support an extra 1,200 prison places. | It plans to use £162.6m to build and support an extra 1,200 prison places. |
| The Tories say they have based their costings on the government's own figures but that independent estimates show "far higher" savings can be made by scrapping ID cards. | The Tories say they have based their costings on the government's own figures but that independent estimates show "far higher" savings can be made by scrapping ID cards. |
| They claim at least a hundred crimes have been committed by criminals who had been released early. | They claim at least a hundred crimes have been committed by criminals who had been released early. |
| The Ministry of Justice has estimated about 30,000 prisoners will be released early in the first 12 months of the scheme - many of whom have been convicted of violent crimes. | The Ministry of Justice has estimated about 30,000 prisoners will be released early in the first 12 months of the scheme - many of whom have been convicted of violent crimes. |
| Grand committee | |
| The Conservatives will also debate national and international security, with shadow foreign secretary William Hague, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox and shadow community cohesion minister Sayeeda Warsi all due to speak on Tuesday. | The Conservatives will also debate national and international security, with shadow foreign secretary William Hague, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox and shadow community cohesion minister Sayeeda Warsi all due to speak on Tuesday. |
| Former chancellor Ken Clarke will also speak on rebuilding democracy. | Former chancellor Ken Clarke will also speak on rebuilding democracy. |
| Some of the ideas produced by Mr Clarke's democracy taskforce - such as ensuring there is parliamentary approval for going to war - have already been adopted by Gordon Brown, who has made constitutional reform one of his top priorities. | Some of the ideas produced by Mr Clarke's democracy taskforce - such as ensuring there is parliamentary approval for going to war - have already been adopted by Gordon Brown, who has made constitutional reform one of his top priorities. |
| But Mr Clarke is still considering proposals to introduce "English votes for English laws" at Westminster, to end what some see as the anomaly of Scottish MPs voting on matters which do not affect their constituents, such as health and education. | But Mr Clarke is still considering proposals to introduce "English votes for English laws" at Westminster, to end what some see as the anomaly of Scottish MPs voting on matters which do not affect their constituents, such as health and education. |
| Former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind is calling for a "grand committee" of English MPs to decide on England-only issues - rather than sending Scottish and Welsh MPs out of the chamber when votes are being taken, which he said would create a "two-tier" system. | Former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind is calling for a "grand committee" of English MPs to decide on England-only issues - rather than sending Scottish and Welsh MPs out of the chamber when votes are being taken, which he said would create a "two-tier" system. |
| Under Sir Malcolm's proposals, the whole House of Commons would endorse the decisions of the "grand committee". | Under Sir Malcolm's proposals, the whole House of Commons would endorse the decisions of the "grand committee". |