Prison places in England and Wales are ‘bust’, says governors’ union chief

The prison population rose to 88,016 last week, an increase of more than 6,500 in a year and almost 10,000 up on two years ago. Photograph: Simon Price/Alamy

Prison places in England and Wales are “bust” because of a lurch to the right by ministers, the president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA) will say in her annual conference speech.

Andrea Albutt will use her valedictory conference address on Tuesday to berate politicians for reducing the Prison Service to “lunacy”, prioritising an ever greater need for spaces over the health and safety of people living and working in jails.