UK Government reportedly planning to scrap blanket ban on prisoner voting

The UK government is reportedly to scrap its blanket ban on prisoners being allowed to vote, 12 years after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that it was unlawful.

Britain has ignored a series of judgments by European courts since 2005, maintaining that it is a matter for Parliament to decide. But the government is planning to allow prisoners serving a sentence of less than a year who are let out on day release to be allowed to go home to vote, according to the Sunday Times.

The Scottish Parliament Equalities and Human Rights Committee recently took evidence around prisoner voting and their conclusions on this issue are awaited. The Scottish Parliament has power to change voting rights in Scottish and local elections, whist general election voting rights are reserved to Westminster.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/29/government-planning-to-allow-some-prisoners-to-vote-european-court-human-rights

 

 

 

Image credit: Amanda Wood, Flickr