Rapists and murderers will not be let out early to solve prison overcrowding, insists Dominic Raab

RAPISTS and murderers will not be let out early to solve prison overcrowding, the Deputy PM insists.

His promise comes after ministers were forced to ask police chiefs to use cells to hold inmates last week, as the prison population hit 82,000.

Dominic Raab told The Sun he “makes no apology” for putting criminals behind bars for longer.

And he pointed the finger at strike action by the Criminal Bar Association, saying it had led to more people being held on remand.

Mr Raab insisted: “We will not be releasing anyone like Labour did, I guarantee that.”

He was speaking at a call-handler training session ahead of the launch of a new 24/7 rape helpline.

Survivors will have access to round-the-clock ­support with a new chat system and phoneline — supported by £6million of government cash.

Mr Raab admitted that rape ­victims are “absolutely” waiting far too long to see justice done in court thanks to a ­spiralling backlog.

But he refused to apologise and insisted rape convictions were finally going up again after years of decline.