DAVID GAUKE today quit as justice secretary in protest against Boris Johnson’s promotion to prime minister, but critics say he is leaving behind him a prison system in “dangerous collapse.”

His Labour counterpart Richard Burgon warned: “Whoever takes over as justice secretary this week must go beyond the empty rhetoric that is the hallmark of this Tory government and finally make the safety of young people in custody an urgent priority.”

The socialist frontbencher spoke out as the chief inspector of prisons issued an “urgent notification” — putting a stop on new inmates and requiring the justice minister’s response within 28 days — for Feltham youth jail in west London which houses 15 to 18-year-olds.

Mr Burgon said it was the first time such a warning had been made for a children’s prison and should highlight “how the Tories are still overseeing a dangerous collapse in safety for young people in custody.”

“This situation cannot be allowed to continue — children must not be held in unsafe conditions.”

Speaking later in Parliament he took aim at previous prisons minister Rory Stewart, saying: “I am sick of the warm words, sick of the speeches that give the impression that something is being done, sick of the media stunts that serve as springboards for leadership bids.”

Stand-in justice minister Edward Argar MP acknowledged that the chief inspector’s warning “does not make for comfortable reading.”

Inspectors who visited Feltham last week found “very high levels of violence, between boys and against staff, high use of staff force, poor care, long periods of lock-up in cells and escalating self-harm.”

Dave Cook from the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) told the Morning Star the levels of violence at Feltham have “escalated beyond all proportion.”

He said staff were often caught between “warring factions” as young offenders continued postcode rivalries from behind bars.

Staff cuts under Tory austerity had left the prison without enough experienced officers, Mr Cook said.

He also criticised the Howard League for Penal Reform which brought litigation to stop the use of segregation units at Feltham.

Mr Cook said this hampered staff’s ability to “remove a badly behaved boy so they can think about their actions.”

He said that newer-style “reintegration units” may help to reduce violence as they allow short period of isolation in which an inmate can “reflect.”

But Howard League boss Frances Crook has called for Feltham to be closed down altogether.