Keir Starmer has been forced to defend David Lammy over the prisoner release scandal as problems continue to mount for the prime minister and his embattled government.

The prime minister also had to reprimand Lisa Nandy amid a donations row – and came under pressure from Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell over the upcoming Budget.

Lammy is under fire over his handling of the accidental release of Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who remains on the run more than a week after being mistakenly freed from Wandsworth Prison in London.

The justice secretary, who is also deputy prime minister, tried to defend himself on Thursday , but only succeeded in raising further questions about his version of events.

He said Kaddour-Cherif was released before new prisoner checks were

See Full Page