In response to the news that the Home Office has advertised for private contractors to provide up to 800 prison places on ships Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, accused Mr Reid of acting in "desperation".

We look to a home secretary for strategic leadership to make
sure that there are enough prison places for serious and violent
offenders, not desperation and pragmatism that wastes police time and
public money locking up petty criminals, addicts and the mentally ill in police stations.

Ms Lyon said prisoners being held in police cells should be warned the regime they would have there would be "very limited".

"Police stations are generally not equipped for visits, exercise or association, and the regime you will have there will be very limited.
You will be given the option of one phone call to inform someone of
your whereabouts as soon as practicable after your arrival at the police station."

Using police cells to warehouse prisoners is a desperate measure with no pretence at decency or rehabilitation.

The Prison Reform Trust is concerned that there will be neither the time nor the capacity to assess for risk and that hard-pressed police officers will inevitably find themselves trying to look after very vulnerable people with no space or resources to do so.