Government Takes Over Private Prison After Watchdog Reports ‘Shocking’ Concerns

Published on May 23, 2024

The government has announced it will permanently take over a prison in Nottinghamshire to “improve conditions and safety.” HMP Lowdham Grange, near Nottingham, which holds up to 900 men, has been operated by a private company Sodexo since February 2023. Concerns over safety, security, and decency at the prison prompted the government to appoint a new governor, Neil Thomas, to take over its running on an interim basis in December last year. The move was meant to make the prison “more stable and safe.” On Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice announced that the takeover will be permanent, and that Mr. Thomas is to remain in post to lead the prison and steer the transition process....

Continue reading on website
Other news

Chuck Schumer Tees Up Senate Vote on Contraception Bill

May 23, 2024
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced on May 22 that the Senate will vote on a bill to protect access to contraception in the coming weeks.The bill, led by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), would nationally codify recognition of contraception as “a fundamental right.”The measure, which is expected to be blocked by Senate Republicans, would force lawmakers to

Senators Demand Return of $10.8 Million in ‘Unjustified’ Bonuses Handed to VA Senior Executives

May 23, 2024
A group of Republican senators is calling for nearly $11 million in “unjustified” bonuses paid to senior executives within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be recouped and for those responsible for distributing them to be fired.The group, led by Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough on May 22 in w