Evening Standard Comment: Newborn baby’s cell death shows we’re failing prisoners

The revelations that a baby died in a prison cell after her teenage mother was left unattended to give birth is the latest example of the way our justice system is failing prisoners, and in doing so, society as a whole.

A devastating report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman highlighted a series of mistakes and missed opportunities — including a failure to send a nurse in response to a call for help from the woman.

This should never have been allowed to happen. Better treatment of prisoners is not always a top priority of the public or politicians, but this incident demonstrates that we must do far more.

As a society, we have moved away from locking people up and throwing away the key, but our journey is not yet complete. Yet, Covid-19 has only exacerbated many of the underlying issues facing our prisons and probation services.

Dominic Raab may view his new role of Justice Secretary as a demotion from the Foreign Office. He should not. Instead, it is his opportunity to grip the many pressing issues facing our prisons and drive much-needed reforms through the wider justice system.

Boris Johnson’s speech to the UN General Assembly touched on his journey from climate-sceptic columnist to net-zero campaigner (even if his government’s policies do not always match the rhetoric).

Another notable transition took place the day before, when the Chinese government announced it would stop building coal-powered stations abroad.

This decision is hugely welcome. China is by some distance the largest financier of overseas coal projects, but it is not in itself a panacea. The country still accounts for more than half of global coal projects in the pre-construction pipeline.

In the weeks leading up to COP26 in Glasgow, it is vital that all nations increase their ambition and commitments in the fight to avert catastrophic climate change. China’s move is propitious, but we have far further to go.