PRISONS: A man freed from prison under the government’s early release scheme has been charged with murder.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was released as part of efforts to reduce prison overcrowding, the Times reported on Saturday.

It is the most serious offence alleged to have been committed by someone released under the scheme, which allows some offenders to be freed after serving 40 per cent of their sentence rather than 50.

POLITICS: A Reform UK councillor has switched to the Tories after becoming “uncomfortable” with his former party.

James Buchan said he wanted to be able to “look my family in the eye and say: That’s not who I am” after Nigel Farage’s outfit announced plans to axe indefinite leave to remain.

The Dartford borough councillor, who won his seat in a July by-election, said the policy creates a “huge amount of fear and anxiety” and accused the party of having “a pretty unfortunate way of treating people.”

CRIME: Eleven people have been charged in connection with attempting to smuggle more than half a tonne of cannabis worth about £13.8 million into Britain, the National Crime Agency said on Saturday.

The 11, who had all flown from Thailand, were arrested at Birmingham airport in August 2024 after Border Force found the drugs packed into 22 separate suitcases.

Six men suspected of organising the smuggling bid, five of whom were arrested at addresses in Luton and north London in October 2024, remain under investigation.