'Useless windbag!' David Lammy lambasted by ex-detective as two prisoners remain at large after escaping prison

WATCH NOW: Former Scotland Yard Detective Peter Bleksley slams the Labour Government, as it is revealed two prisoners were allowed to abscond from prison on New Year’s Day

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GB NEWS

Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 05/01/2026

- 07:42

Two prisoners are still at large after escaping from HMP Leyhill on New Year's Day

Peter Bleksley has launched a scathing attack on David Lammy as police continue their search for two prisoners who escaped on New Year's Day.

Speaking to GB News, the ex-Scotland Yard Detective branded the Justice Secretary a "useless windbag", declaring Britain under Labour a "sad, sorry state".


Daniel Washbourne, 40, and Matthew Armstrong, 35, escaped from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire on New Year's Day.

Avon and Somerset Police have said the pair "have links to various parts of the country" and "intelligence work to trace the men's movements is ongoing".

Expressing his outrage at the absconding, Mr Bleksley told GB News: "First of all, if you see any of those men, don't approach them and ring 999. The streets are dangerous enough as it is, don't put yourself at any further risk.

"Secondly, as it has clearly been shown very recently, David Lammy is a useless windbag."

He continued: "Thirdly, nine million people voted for Labour, didn't they, to get the lamentable Tories out. And what were we promised? Change. What a sad, sorry state.

"Because this Government has turned out to be one of the most shambolic in history, they have to go and they have to go very soon."

Peter Bleksley, David Lammy

Peter Bleksley hit out at David Lammy as he reacted to the escape of two prisoners on New Year's Day

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GB NEWS / PA

Agreeing with Mr Bleksley, commentator Dr Lisa McKenzie said: "I think you hit the nail on the head here. They're not interested. This is not sexy politics, is it? Prisons, locking people up, making sure that they are where they're supposed to be, this is bread and butter politics.

"It's down in community politics, and this Government does not want to do that."

She added: "They want to ponce about on the international stage and shake hands with other international people.

"They are not interested in the everyday politics of Britain and this is what's happening in every sector."

David Lammy

Two prisoners are still at large after escaping from HMP Leyhill on New Year's Day

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REUTERS

Weighing in on the discussion, commentator Adam Brooks argued that although the Tory record on prisons was "abysmal", Labour has "turbo charged" the "destruction" of Britain.

Mr Brooks told GB News: "The Tory record is abysmal, but what Labour are doing and what they have done in 18 months has turbo charged the destruction of this country.

"Women and children are being sexually assaulted and attacked at record levels. They're releasing violent women beaters after just 40 per cent of their sentences, that's madness. And then we've got people being wrongly released or escaping."

He continued: "The average used to be about 60 a year up until 2023. This is 262. I can see why the conspiracy theorists out there think they're doing it on purpose, because you cannot be this bad at your job. You cannot, you just cannot be this bad. I'm sorry, it is a joke."

GB News Panel

Commentator Adam Brooks told GB News that Labour is 'turbo charging' the 'destruction of this country'

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GB NEWS

Asked by Alex if the Conservatives have "something to answer for" in the way they have handled the justice system, Mr Brooks agreed: "They have, and look, we need to build prisons. Of course we need to build prisons, but we need to stop incarcerating people that say hurty things on the internet.

"Every time I do a tweet or a social media post, I'm thinking is Starmer's stormtroopers looking at me on this.

"That's not how we should live, we should put the people that are walking around with machetes - people are getting caught twice with machetes and getting suspended sentences."

Criticising the country's justice system as a whole, Mr Bleksley concluded: "The whole criminal justice system, from policing at the front through to the CPS, then to the courts, then to the jails, then to probation, the whole system is a wreck.

"It's underperforming, and consequently, we are, all of us, everyone in this building, every member of the audience, we are all in a bit more danger because of it."

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