Tories launch legal action to block Labour 'two-tier' justice measures in the courts

The Conservatives are launching legal action in a bid to block ‘two-tier justice’ measures brought in under Labour. ‘There are few more important principles than equality under the law - we will fight tooth and nail to defend it.’ Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick in Westminster this morning Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood pictured arriving at Downing Street for the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday The measures published yesterday by the independent Sentencing Council, an official body which draws up rules which must be followed by judges and magistrates, are due to take effect on April 1. The new rules say it must ‘normally be considered necessary’ for the courts to commission a ‘pre-sentence report’ about criminals if they come from ‘an ethnic minority, cultural minority, and/or faith minority community’. Keir Starmer leaving Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday Poised to come into force from April, the fresh guidelines state a pre-sentence report would usually be necessary for someone of an ethnic, cultural or faith minority Pre-sentence reports often set out reasons why a jail sentence would be detrimental for an offender, and Mr Jenrick said it would ‘make a custodial sentence less likely’. Minutes of January’s meeting say: ‘Having agreed to various final minor amendments throughout the guideline, the council approved the final content in full and signed off the guideline for publication in March.’ Mr Jenrick said: ‘The Justice Secretary had a senior representative at the meeting this two-tier guidance was approved.