The escalating conflict between Downing Street and the Sentencing Council centers on proposed changes to sentencing guidelines for judges. The council rejected government demands to abandon plans addressing pre-sentence reports that consider ethnic backgrounds, leading to a charged disagreement on judicial fairness. Critics, including Labour leaders, emphasize that existing disparities in the criminal justice system are systemic and must be addressed through structural change, hinting at possible legislative actions from the government to modify the council's powers in response to concerns about perceived inequities in sentencing.
"The row over a review of sentencing guidelines for England and Wales escalated on Friday after the Sentencing Council rejected government demands that it U-turn..."
"This response did not impress Keir Starmer, who echoed the sentiments of his justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, in warning that this would not be allowed to stand..."
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