Reform-backed PCC part-funds £20,000 podcast studio at HMP Leicester
A £20,000 podcast studio at HMP Leicester was paid for half by the office of Reform UK police and crime commissioner Rupert Matthews and half by the prison service. Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy and the Taxpayers' Alliance criticised it; Matthews and the government defended it as rehabilitation.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 2HMP Leicester, a Category B prison holding around 330 inmates, has a new podcast studio costing £20,000, according to figures released in response to a parliamentary question. GB NewsR “HMP Leicester has spent £20,000 on a new podcast studio inside the prison” Read at GB News ↗ Daily ExpressR “according to figures released in response to a parliamentary question” Read at Daily Express ↗ Right · 2The office of Rupert Matthews, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, provided £10,000 to build the studio, and a further £10,000 came from the prison and probation service for equipment. Daily ExpressR “His office issued £10,000 to build the studio, topped up by a further £10,000 from the HM Prison and Probation Service to supply equipment” Read at Daily Express ↗ GB NewsR “The office of Mr Matthews gave the HMP Leicester £10,000 to build the studio” Read at GB News ↗ Right · 2Matthews defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK in 2025. GB NewsR “who defected to Reform UK from the Tories in 2025” Read at GB News ↗ Daily ExpressR “who defected from the Conservatives last year” Read at Daily Express ↗
Right · 2The prison runs podcasting workshops every weekday morning and evening, led by an instructor, and the episodes are broadcast on the prison's internal network. Examples include an interview with the Governor and an episode explaining what new arrivals can expect on their first night. GB NewsR “The two-hour workshops are available every weekday morning and evening, led by an instructor, who also edits all of the podcast material.” Read at GB News ↗ Daily ExpressR “One episode featured an interview with the Governor, while another explained what new inmates could expect on their first night.” Read at Daily Express ↗ Right · 2Both outlets say the instructor's fees are not included in the £20,000 figure; the Daily Express adds that the real cost is therefore much higher. Daily ExpressR “The real cost of the project will be much higher” Read at Daily Express ↗ GB NewsR “The cost of the instructor is not included in the figures.” Read at GB News ↗ Right · 2Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy, speaking to The Telegraph, called it a waste of taxpayer money and said the commissioner should spend it on fighting crime rather than letting prisoners "cosplay as Joe Rogan". He also said victims would be insulted and that Reform should end the project. Daily ExpressR “The Police and Crime Commissioner should spend this money on fighting crime, not letting prisoners cosplay as Joe Rogan.” Read at Daily Express ↗ GB NewsR “Reform should end this ridiculous project now.” Read at GB News ↗
Right · 1Anne Strickland of the Taxpayers' Alliance said taxpayers would be "utterly sickened" by the spending. Daily ExpressR “taxpayers will be "utterly sickened to see their hard-earned cash blown on boutique podcast studios for convicted criminals"” Read at Daily Express ↗ Right · 2Matthews defended the funding as an "appropriate use of Community Action Fund money". He said rehabilitation saves "far more" in policing, court and prison costs and called the project a "sound investment"; GB News reports he described the £20,000 as "modest". Daily ExpressR “describing it as an "appropriate use of Community Action Fund money"” Read at Daily Express ↗ GB NewsR “describing the £20,000 price tag as "modest"” Read at GB News ↗ Right · 2Prisons minister Catherine McKinnell said "purposeful activity" is a proven way to reduce reoffending by building skills, improving behaviour and preparing prisoners for employment. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said equipping prisoners for work on release helps reduce reoffending and keep the public safe. Daily ExpressR “Equipping prisoners for work on release is a vital part of reducing reoffending and keeping the public safe.” Read at Daily Express ↗ GB NewsR “Purposeful activity can help prisoners develop skills, improve their behaviour and prepare for employment on release.” Read at GB News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the studio as a waste of taxpayer money, led by Nick Timothy's Telegraph criticism, with the commissioner's and government's defences placed lower down.
- Emphasis
- Cost to taxpayers, the Reform UK link, the extra uncounted instructor cost, and the contrast with victims. GB News adds other workshops such as "trauma-informed yoga" and teddy-bear making.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives evidence on the project's effect on reoffending or says how many prisoners have taken part.
- Charged language
- “Outrage as taxpayers fund £20,000 podcast studio for rapists”“Oh come off it”“state-of-the-art”“Ministers are furious”
- For example
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“Outrage as taxpayers fund £20,000 podcast studio for rapists” — Daily Express
“Taxpayers foot bill for £20k 'state-of-the-art' podcast studio in high-security prison” — GB News
What every side reports
- The studio cost £20,000: £10,000 from the PCC's office and £10,000 from the prison service.
- HMP Leicester is a Category B prison holding about 330 inmates.
- Nick Timothy criticised the project; Rupert Matthews and the prisons minister defended it as rehabilitation.
Where accounts differ
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Who is angry and who the studio serves
- Right
- The Daily Express says "Ministers are furious" and headlines the studio as being "for rapists", noting the prison holds remand prisoners who may be charged with rape. GB News describes the studio as "state-of-the-art" and gives no such characterisation of inmates.
Rupert Matthews person
Defends the £10,000 as an appropriate use of the Community Action Fund and a sound investment because rehabilitation cuts later policing, court and prison costs.
“making it a “sound investment for taxpayers”” — Daily Express
“describing the £20,000 price tag as "modest"” — GB News
Reform UK party
Described as the party of the commissioner who backed the project; Nick Timothy says Reform should end it.
“Reform should end this ridiculous project now.” — Daily Express
HMP Leicester organisation
The prison runs the podcast workshops as part of its activities for inmates, with episodes shared on its internal audio network.
“HMP Leicester, a Category B prison, has built the podcast studio as part of their workshop offerings for inmates.” — GB News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Outrage as taxpayers fund £20,000 podcast studio for rapists
Alarmist Frames the studio as an outrageous use of public money for violent offenders, with a sarcastic lede and critics' quotes ahead of the defences.
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GB NewsR ·
Taxpayers foot bill for £20k 'state-of-the-art' podcast studio in high-security prison
Critical Reports the taxpayer-funded studio in a sceptical tone, setting it beside other prison workshops and including both criticism and defences.
- 28 Oct 10:50 First Daily ExpressR Outrage as taxpayers fund £20,000 podcast studio for rapists
- 28 Oct 13:04 +2h 15m GB NewsR Taxpayers foot bill for £20k 'state-of-the-art' podcast studio in high-security prison
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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