Labour have accused the Tories of breaking strict pre-election rules by preparing to announce a crackdown on terrorism in prison.
Justice secretary Dominic Raab is on Wednesday expected to unveil the government’s response to a report by Jonathan Hall QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation.
According to The Times, Raab will announce that existing laws are to be strengthened to make it easier for convicted terrorists to be separated from the rest of the prison population.
He is also expected to introduce tougher measures to allow acts of terror inside prison to be punished more severely.
But Labour say the announcement has been timed to “deflect attention” from the partygate scandal.
Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed has written to Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, to ask whether rules banning major government announcements in the run-up to elections have been broken.
Voters across the country will go to the polls for the local elections on May 5.
The letter, seen by HuffPost UK, says: “The issuing of fixed penalty notices to the prime minister, the chancellor and other officials has shone a light on the government’s record on crime and an announcement such as this one could be perceived as an attempt to deflect attention away from these issues one week away from crucial local elections.
“Please will you confirm what consideration was given regarding the timing of this announcement, in line with guidance provided to all civil servants, including special advisers, and what specific advice was offered?”
Reed said: “This soft-on-crime Conservative government is trying to deflect from its own criminality.
“Bungling Dominic Raab has been sat on this crucial report for six months, yet it’s only now, when the prime minister is mired in the partygate scandal and the Tory-made cost of living crisis, that his department issues its response to rampant radicalisation in prisons.
“The lord chancellor needs to tell the victims of terror offenders why it has taken him so long to take radicalisation in jails seriously.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “All announcements are made in accordance with government guidance.”