An open discussion with Prisons Minister Rory Stewart MP & Jonathan Aitken on 28th November

Rory Stewart MP	Jonathan Aitken

On Wednesday 28th November at 7.30pm an open discussion with Rory Stewart MP, Prisons Minister, will take place at St Mary's Church, Putney High Street, SW15 1SN highlighting the issues of overcrowding, staff morale, violence and drugs in the prison system today and potential solutions, while also attempting to define what is the purpose of prison.

Rory Stewart is not your conventional politician and, having taken up the role earlier this year, is not likely to come up with a conventional policy. He has acknowledged that nothing less than drastic action is needed in some of the worst prisons. As a symbol of the greater accountability he is bringing in, he has pledged to resign if there is no measurable improvement within a year. Before standing for Parliament he was a Harvard lecturer and writer and has served as deputy governor of two provinces in Iraq. He famously walked alone across Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

He will be joined by Jonathan Aitken former Cabinet Minister who served an 18-month prison sentence for perjury in a libel case against the Guardian. After his release he trained to be a priest and is now an unpaid Prison Chaplain at HMP Pentonville. He campaigns for prison reform and his published work includes Locked up Potential; Meaningful Mentoring and Whatever happened to the Rehabilitation Revolution? He will conduct a dialogue with his old cell neighbour.

To be joined by panellists: Peter Dawson, Director Prison Reform Trust and former prison governor; Fran Findlater, CEO and Founder of Bounce Back, a charity training ex-offenders; Holly Price, Training & Development Director Keltbray Group, a construction firm which employs ex-offenders.

The discussion will be chaired by the MP for Putney, Justine Greening MP. To be followed by wine and canapes.

Tickets £30. RSVP to Liz Taylor at membership@wandsworthconservatives.com or 020 8944 2905.

October 30, 2018