Jenrick also criticized the retention of existing Sentencing Council members who drafted the controversial guidelines, calling for a fundamental overhaul instead.

Jenrick warned that the same officials who created the contested guidelines remain in place, raising concerns about the potential for similar issues to arise in the future.

This Bill was introduced following the independent Sentencing Council's proposal for new guidelines that would require judges to consider an offender's ethnicity before sentencing, raising concerns about a potential 'two-tier' justice system.

While acknowledging the Sentencing Council's concerns about inequalities, Mahmood disagreed with their proposed solutions, labeling them as 'the wrong cure.'

The Government's Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Bill aims to prevent differential treatment in sentencing based on race and religion, successfully passing its first Commons test.

However, the implementation of these guidelines was delayed by the proposed Bill, presented by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

The Sentencing Council's guidelines, which were set to take effect earlier in April 2025, mandated pre-sentence reports for certain ethnic, cultural, and faith minority offenders, as well as for young adults, women, and pregnant women.

In response to the ongoing debate, Diane Abbott called for a Macpherson-style inquiry into potential institutional racism within the judiciary, highlighting disparities in arrest rates.

Opposition from Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick characterized the Bill as inadequate, arguing it fails to address the core problems within the justice system.

Labour MP Jonathan Brash advocated for the abolition of the Sentencing Council, arguing that unelected officials should not wield power over democratically elected politicians.

Mahmood emphasized the importance of equality before the law and expressed concerns that the new guidelines could undermine public trust in the justice system.

The Bill received approval during its second reading on April 22, 2025, and will undergo further scrutiny in the coming week.