Rachel Cunliffe
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rmcunliffe.bsky.social
Rachel Cunliffe
@rmcunliffe.bsky.social
Associate Political Editor @NewStatesman. Devout classicist, "indulgent editrix", at one point the only Ancient Greek teacher in South Korea
Atkins was at Wandsworth in 2016. Mistaken release has hit the front pages this week, but it isn't new. Between 40 and 115 offenders were incorrectly released every year from 2011 to 2024.

“It happens every working day. It just doesn’t normally become news.”

www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-...
The real reason prisoners keep walking free
For one former inmate, the current swathe of wrongly freed prisoners is nothing new
www.newstatesman.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
“Even though I’d just been convicted of a very high-profile crime of dishonesty I was entrusted with maintaining wing security and tracking prisoner movements... They were just so short-staffed. ‘He can read and write, he’s got a pen, give him the job’.”

www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-...
The real reason prisoners keep walking free
For one former inmate, the current swathe of wrongly freed prisoners is nothing new
www.newstatesman.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Other points of interest:

* a release process so long one offender missed his first probation appointment
* empty classrooms due to not enough guards to take inmates to taxpayer-funded lessons
* Atkins - an inmate - having to fill in for the prison officers
www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-...
The real reason prisoners keep walking free
For one former inmate, the current swathe of wrongly freed prisoners is nothing new
www.newstatesman.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:54 AM
I think the best faithful was obviously Nick, who worked out early on that he had little chance identifying the traitors and even less chance convincing the others, so focused on being as nice as possible so no one would vote him out and seeming harmless so he wouldn't get murdered. Genius!
November 7, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I think where it's useful is when you realise with a friend that you are doing a lot more of the emotional labour than they are (eg always being the one to get in touch and noticing the friendship just stops if you step back). Knowing helps decide if you want to continue. Does not work with family!
November 7, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Accessorising one's pocket square to one's tie... oh no wait, that's you
November 7, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I found out yesterday that a big reason for errors is misreading the handwriting on a form...
November 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Music was better when my knees didn't hurt and I never got hangovers
November 7, 2025 at 2:08 PM
This happens frequently too!

In fact, I have an interview going up on the New Statesman this weekend that talks about exactly this!
November 7, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Also not in any way disputing your point, but to be earning £855 a week post tax you need to be on £58,452 a year, so quite a bit higher than 46k. Point still stands though
November 6, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The problem is that both things are true. 46k may be a high wage in comparison to the average, but (depending on where in the country you are) it doesn't buy you anywhere near the kind of lifestyle people would associate with being "rich". So there's incomprehension at being taxed as rich
November 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Exactly! He was brilliant to watch, just not sinister enough

But all round I loved it. I just think it’s interesting when every aspect of a show is really good, but it’s still missing something when you put it all together
November 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Yaaaay congrats!
November 5, 2025 at 2:48 PM