In this country we do not allow prisoners to vote. It has long been the case (since 1870) that here in the UK we believe that individuals who have committed an offence serious enough to warrant a term of imprisonment should not be able to vote while in prison. Today MPs are being asked to vote to continue to support the UK’s existing position. I will vote to continue to exclude prisoners from voting, but I wanted to take this opportunity to explain my position.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the statutory bar on convicted prisoners was contrary to article 3, protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. I do believe that we should, as a country, comply with our treaty obligations and the legal advice appears to be that some degree of voting for prisoners is legally unavoidable. However, I believe this advice needs to be properly tested by Parliament and that the UK should reassert that matters such as these are for democratically-elected law-makers
However, given the legal advice the Government has received and the prospect of huge compensation claims from prisoners mounting up, I may, at some future stage, vote for legislation that modifies the current position to allow a small number of prisoners to vote. Like the Prime Minister I would not wish to do so, but I also do not wish to see millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money going to prisoners rather than public services.
I know that my constituents will have strong views on this matter and, as always, I would be happy to hear from them.
Yours faithfully
Rob Wilson MP
Member of Parliament for Reading East
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Culture Media & Sport, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP.
tel: 020 7219 2498