MP fretting over prison guitars ban

Guitar-playing prisoners have been ordered to return their electric and steel-stringed guitars after the Government banned them, a Labour frontbencher has said.

Kevin Brennan, himself a guitarist, demanded to know why the coalition had ordered the return of the types of guitar on which the majority of rock and pop music is played. He said the likes of Johnny Cash and Billy Bragg have shown the importance of music and guitars in rehabilitating offenders.

Prisons Minister Jeremy Wright said the specifics of why electric and steel-stringed guitars were axed were beyond his level of expertise but said he would ensure the restrictions were appropriate.

In his reply, Mr Wright said: “You have, perhaps predictably given your level of expertise, got to a level of detail on musical instruments I’m not currently cognisant with.”

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