One of the district’s MPs has called for Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to be sacked, branding his proposals to slash sentences “ludicrous”.

Shipley MP Philip Davies said Mr Clarke was undermining the Tory Party’s tough stance on law and order with his policy to allow people who enter a guilty plea to have their sentences reduced by 50 per cent.

Mr Davies, a Conservative MP, voted against his Government in the Commons this week over the plans.

Mr Davies said: “For me, saying we should reduce sentences by 50 per cent for someone who pleads guilty is the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“Ken Clarke is single-handedly damaging and undermining our reputation as being the party of law and order.

“It seems to me that he is perfectly happy for someone given an eight-year jail sentence to be out in just two years after having the sentence halved and then only serving half of the remaining four years. That is totally ludicrous and unacceptable.

“We need a Secretary of State that does not find that acceptable, not one who is calling for it. I get on with Ken Clarke, but this is about what is best for the country and we are going in the completely wrong direction with this policy.”

Mr Davies warned MPs the move will result in people “serving more derisory sentences, then let out to create more unnecessary victims of crime.”

Mr Clarke said the aim of the proposals was to increase guilty pleas – therefore reducing the “unpleasantness” of the court experience for victims and witnesses, as well as increasing the efficiency of the system.

  • Read the full story in Wednesday's T&A