Wes Streeting endured a brutal grilling from Christopher Hope on GB News after Epping migrant sex attacker Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released from prison on Friday.
Speaking on the Camilla Tominey Show, the Health Secretary insisted that Labour will conduct a "transparent" investigation after Justice Secretary David Lammy promised the public that the Ethiopian convict will be deported.
Mr Streeting told Chopper that "vital intelligence that came from vigilant members of the public" led to the mistakenly-released migrant's arrest, thanking those who played a part in the migrant's capture.
Migrant sex attacker Hadush Kebatu, who was released in error by HMP Chelmsford on Friday, was arrested in Finsbury Park at 8.30am on Sunday.
Wes Streeting endured a brutal grilling from Christopher Hope on GB News
|GB NEWS
"What a relief," Mr Streeting first commented, offering his thanks to the members of the public who supported the police in their quest to find the prisoner.
He continued: "But this is an unbelievable turn of events and should never have happened.
"And many of us are asking ourselves this morning, how on earth could someone who has been convicted of a serious crime, who was due for deportation, instead be released onto our streets?
"The Justice Secretary has ordered an investigation into this that will look at what went wrong, how on earth this could have happened and who was responsible and what we're going to do about it."
He also vowed transparency throughout the investigation, including being "upfront" with both Parliament and the public.
"I think the whole country is being shocked, frankly, that this could have happened," Mr Streeting added.
"I'm afraid I do not accept that these things just happen. I know that this has been a problem for many years.
"It's a problem under the previous Government as well, where we had high-profile and in some cases less high-profile cases of prisoners being wrongfully released," the Cabinet minister said, excusing his colleagues.
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However, Chopper was quick to interject, arguing that mistakenly releasing individuals early was a "Labour problem" happening under "Labour's watch".
Over the past year, 262 prisoners were mistakenly released early across England and Wales, marking a 128 per cent jump on the previous year.
"It really is on Labour's watch. You can blame the Tories for a lot of things, let me tell you. But on this one it's down to you. The buck stops with you," GB News's political editor slammed.
The Health Secretary also admitted that it was "certainly our responsibility to clean up this mess" but maintained that the accidental early release of prisoners was a problem that "plagued the previous Government and now this Government".
The Health Secretary admitted that it was 'certainly our responsibility to clean up this mess'
|GB NEWS
The man, who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, was meant to be sent to a detention centre to then go on to be deported on Friday.
Commander James Conway, who has overseen the operation to find Kebatu, said: "This has been a diligent and fast-paced investigation led by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police, supported by Essex Police and the British Transport Police.
"Information from the public led officers to Finsbury Park, and following a search, they located Mr Kebatu. He was detained by police, but will be returned to the custody of the Prison Service.
"I am extremely grateful to the public for their support following our appeal, which assisted in locating Mr Kebatu."
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