Rachel Reeves admits she is angry after jubilant lags celebrate outside prisons (with champagne and a Lamborghini) following early release designed to ease overcrowding

Rachel Reeves admitted today that she was angry after astonishing celebrations outside prisons yesterday following the early release of prisoners.

The Chancellor lashed out at the former Tory administration as Labour came under deepening pressure over the scenes outside jails, where those let out partied with champagne and sports cars.

The Government let 1,700 prisoners out yesterday to ease record overcrowding and prevent the criminal justice system from seizing up entirely due to a lack of cells. Some 5,000 will be freed in the coming weeks.

Some were greeted by a cacophony on their release, with friends blasting out music and giving them new clothes, and some even spraying the former prisoners with sparkling wine to celebrate their newfound freedom.

One lag leaving HMP Pentonville in London was greeted by a friend driving a Lamborghini. 

Keir Starmers press secretary today accused the Tories of sitting on their hands when they knew prison numbers were approaching crisis levels in June, before the election.  

And speaking to GB News today Ms Reeves said: It makes me really angry.

The Chancellor lashed out at the former Tory administration as Labour came under deepening pressure over the scenes outside jails, where those let out partied with champagne and sports cars.

One lag leaving HMP Pentonville in London was greeted by a friend driving a Lamborghini.

Speaking to GB News today Ms Reeves said: It makes me really angry. It makes me really angry the inheritance that the previous Government left, whether its the £22billion blackhole in public finances or failing to build the prison places that are necessary to keep criminals locked up.

Keir Starmers press secretary today accused the Tories of sitting on their hands when they knew prison numbers were approaching crisis levels in June, before the election.

It makes me really angry the inheritance that the previous Government left, whether its the £22billion blackhole in public finances or failing to build the prison places that are necessary to keep criminals locked up. 

We will make sure that we those prison places are available but we have had to make the tough decisions to clear up the awful mess the previous Government left for us.

One convicted drug dealer said the policy had made him a lifelong Labour voter, while another insisted that he was a good boy now after walking out to reunite with his family. 

Despite the scenes of joy that were commonplace across the country, experts have warned about the impact of releasing the convicts early with suggestions a third could reoffend.

Those released today included hardened drug dealers, violent domestic abusers and even people who have played roles in the killing of teenagers, much to the fury of their victims loved ones. 

There have also been concerns about the impact on communities where they are released with some admitting they will immediately become homeless after they are set free.

Ministers have insisted that everyone released will have a management plan and be subject to strict licence rules. 

A new book by ITV journalist Anushka Asthana claims that Alex Chalk (left) told the PM that if he did not bring in an early-release scheme in June they may need to get down on their knees and pray.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures showed the prison population hit a record high of 88,521 on Friday, having risen by more than 1,000 inmates over the past four weeks.

Today it also emerged ex-PM Rishi Sunak was warned about the problem by his own justice secretary  in the run up to the election, but did nothing. 

A new book by ITV journalist Anushka Asthana claims that Alex Chalk told the PM that if he did not bring in an early-release scheme in June they may need to get down on their knees and pray.

Sir Keirs press secretary told reporters today: It is totally unacceptable, the scenes that we have seen.

The Conservatives failed to act. They saw the problem coming down the track and it seems their approach was to sit and pray, according to their former justice secretary. 

They failed the first duty of keeping the public safe.