Labour is looking for an unbiased inquiry into how a prisoner was in a position to escape from a London jail whereas awaiting trial for terror offences.

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, is alleged to have escaped from Wandsworth jail - one of many UK's largest - underneath a meals truck.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow residence secretary, mentioned the federal government "has grave questions to answer" concerning staffing and nationwide safety preparations.

She informed Sky News that an inside jail service inquiry "is not sufficient" and Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, ought to launch an unbiased investigation.

"I hope he will announce some kind of independent investigation when he comes, I assume will come, to parliament this morning in order to answer on this," Ms Cooper added.

Ms Cooper mentioned the federal government wanted to clarify "issues around staffing and the arrangements for the national security prisoners and where they are being held".

Most UK terror suspects are saved in southeast London's HMP Belmarsh - a class A jail which is taken into account the UK's most safe.

Pressed on how the federal government may very well be liable for the escape, Ms Cooper pointed to court docket delays and a backlog which nonetheless stays after the COVID pandemic.

She mentioned this had resulted within the variety of prisoners on remand awaiting trial reaching a 50 12 months excessive, resulting in overcrowding and "a risk that prisoners are being moved around".

Khalife went lacking in his prepare dinner's uniform from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday, prompting additional safety checks at main transport hubs.

There are fears the fugitive - who has been lacking since 8am on Wednesday - may attempt to flee the nation.

Rosena Allin-Khan, the Labour MP for the realm, informed Sky News there was an "ongoing issue with staffing levels" at Wandsworth Prison.

She mentioned: "Now, there was one shift last December where on a night shift there were only seven staff members to look after 1,500 prison inmates.

"So what they needed to do as a way to make up the numbers was to truly ask individuals to remain and do a double shift to make up the shortfall.

"Ultimately, where you have a prison service which is woefully under staffed, under resourced, when you have crumbling buildings, when you have people not able to stay in sanitary conditions and you have staff off with their mental health, staff off with exhaustion, you are going to be more open to incidents like this."

Content Source: information.sky.com