Lord chancellor announces move follows claims that new sentencing rules discriminate against white men

Shabana Mahmood has ordered a review of the powers of the independent body which draws up judges’ guidelines in England and Wales following claims that new sentencing rules discriminate against white men.

The lord chancellor wrote that she “will be reviewing the role and powers of the Sentencing Council” and will introduce new laws “if necessary” after the body recommended changes which would make the ethnicity or faith of an offender a greater factor when deciding whether to jail them.