Pressure continues as Kenneth Clarke urged to meet rape victim

Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke should resign, but not before he meets a rape victim first, the husband of a woman who was brutally attacked has said.

Richard Stockford, whose wife Helen was raped by a convicted killer after he was released early from prison, said Mr Clarke's comments on rape and his proposals to halve sentences for rapists who entered early guilty pleas were "ludicrous".

"I definitely think it's time for him to go - but he should meet my wife first," Mr Stockford said.

Mr Clarke admitted that he had not met a rape victim since he was working as a lawyer, but the Stockfords have been fighting for a meeting with the Justice Secretary for more than a year.

Mark Shirley subjected Mrs Stockford, who has waived her right to anonymity, to degrading and humiliating abuse in an attempt to re-enact a ritualistic murder he committed 22 years earlier.

Yesterday Mr Clarke came under increasing pressure over the comments he made drawing a distinction between date rape and "serious rape, with violence and an unwilling woman" during a radio interview.

Mr Clarke was confronted by the victim of an attempted rape, Gabrielle Browne, who broke down in tears as she attacked government plans to halve jail terms in return for early guilty pleas as a "disaster".

The Justice Secretary was also heavily criticised by the leader of the Prison Officers' Association (POA) Steve Gillan, who said his union had passed a vote of no- confidence in Mr Clarke, "stating he was out of touch with reality".

Mr Gillan, the POA secretary. said: "Clearly his comments yesterday support this union's claim and they have angered many, many people and organisations."

Meanwhile, Ms Browne revealed that she had been invited for talks with Mr Clarke to discuss her concerns over government proposals to offer a 50 per cent reduction in sentences in return for early guilty pleas for offences including rape.

In an excerpt of a letter inviting Mrs Browne for a meeting, the Justice Secretary said: "I have always believed that all rape is extremely serious, and must be treated as such. I am sorry if my comments gave you any other impression or upset you."

Yesterday Mike Crockart, Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West, added his voice to the criticism of Mr Clarke's comments.

"To differentiate between levels of rape is simply shameful and demonstrates a cavalier attitude to what must always be treated as the most serious of crimes," he said.

Mr Clarke, yesterday refused to resign, and said that leaving the government over the issue would be a "little odd, I think".

Jailhouse slot 'a gimmick'

THE controversial decision to allow convicted prisoners to appear alongside Justice Secretary Ken Clarke on the BBC's flagship current affairs show Question Time has been dismissed as a "gimmick".

Mr Clarke was due to appear on the show broadcast from Wormwood Scrubs prison with inmates in the audience, as he faced continued criticism for his comments on rape.

A senior Tory MSP has said that the BBC's inclusion of ten prisoners in the Question Time audience last night was an attempt to "be edgy and controversial".

Tory MSP Alex Johnstone even compared the screening of the show from the London prison to the iconic concerts staged for inmates in US prisons by country singer Johnny Cash. Mr Johnstone said: "It's a well proven gimmick that Johnny Cash did to great effect. I don't see the long-term value in this.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "The involvement of prisoners and prison staff offers Question Time viewers a unique insight into their views."