# Badenoch: Harper killers' release delay hurt police

> Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argues that Government indecision over early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers made police work harder.
- Title: Badenoch: Harper killers' release delay hurt police | Shortify
- Summary: Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argues that Government indecision over early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers made police work harder. Kemi Badenoch…
- Keywords: kemi badenoch, pc andrew harper, albert bowers, jessie cole, police federation, early release scheme, manslaughter, sulhamstead, politics, news, Badenoch, Harper
- Source: The Independent — https://independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-pc-andrew-harper-police-federation-b3071082.html
- Published: 2026-10-21T22:15:37+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kemi badenoch, pc andrew harper, albert bowers, jessie cole, police federation, early release scheme, manslaughter, sulhamstead, politics, news
## Harper's killers faced early release
Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, convicted in twenty twenty of PC Andrew Harper's manslaughter, would have qualified for early release next year under the prison overcrowding scheme.
## Government reversed course after backlash
Prime Minister Andy Burnham initially opposed further restrictions on early release. Following backlash, the Government announced that anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including manslaughter, would be excluded.
## Badenoch: indecision made jobs harder
Kemi Badenoch will tell the Police Federation that PC Andrew Harper's colleagues' jobs were made harder when told his killers would be released early from prison.

> PC Andrew Harper's colleagues' jobs were made harder, when they were told his killers were going to be released early from prison.
## Badenoch calls for better police backing
The Conservative leader will say police officers have not had the backing they deserve and that the public has become too scared to do the right thing.

> In recent years we have too often failed to recognise sacrifice and service.
## Key takeaway

Kemi Badenoch will tell the Police Federation that uncertainty over whether PC Andrew Harper's killers would be released early made officers' jobs harder.