Conservative leader David Cameron says his party would build 5,000 more prison places in England and Wales - taking capacity in jails to more than 100,000.
Under the plans, older inner-city jails would be sold off to pay for more new prisons on cheaper land elsewhere.
Mr Cameron also wants new "min-max" sentences - with no chance of parole until the minimum term has been served.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw accused him of copying Labour plans, saying the rest of the scheme was "uncosted".
The 5,000 extra spaces would be on top of the 15,000 new prison spaces being created by the government over the next five years.
Inside Look
This new policy could very well be England's solution to their problem of overcrowded prisons.
Grade this.
Under the plans, older inner-city jails would be sold off to pay for more new prisons on cheaper land elsewhere.
Mr Cameron also wants new "min-max" sentences - with no chance of parole until the minimum term has been served.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw accused him of copying Labour plans, saying the rest of the scheme was "uncosted".
The 5,000 extra spaces would be on top of the 15,000 new prison spaces being created by the government over the next five years.
Inside Look
This new policy could very well be England's solution to their problem of overcrowded prisons.
Grade this.
