Mr Burnham said he had “never taken no for an answer” as he confirmed he had ordered Justice Secretary Alex Norris to draw up plans to increase the number of cells available to keep more serious offenders behind bars. “What I have done since I came into office is push the system every single day to go further. The Prime Minister ordered a review of the early release scheme under the Sentencing Act shortly after taking office, but while changes were announced to prevent rapists and paedophiles being released early the measures did not cover PC Harper’s killers. Mr Burnham previously said he had “pushed the very limits” in the changes he had made to the early release scheme, but has now said he can go further. The plans will be presented to Parliament when MPs and peers return from their summer break next month and Mr Burnham said he was keen to talk to opposition parties about them.