AN MP has warned Government it must learn from its failings at the General Election and not adopt another hated policy in allowing prisoners the right to vote.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said within hours of Theresa May launching the Party manifesto the change on the doorstep was “palpable”. Today he warned Government it faced another backlash from the public if it changed rules over prisoner voting.
Speaking in Parliament Mr Davies said: “Following the triumph of the Conservative manifesto at the election can I congratulate the Lord Chancellor on finding another half baked and unpopular policy to put before the electorate that being giving prisoners the vote.
“Could he acknowledge that nobody is taking the vote away from prisoners they are taking it away from themselves and if voting was so important to them then perhaps they would not have committed the crimes in the first place which led to them being sent to prison. Can I urge him to reject this ridiculous policy which goes down like a lead balloon with the electorate?”
Prisoners with a sentence of one year or less and let out on day release would be able to vote.
Justice Minister David Lidington said Government had decided to end the blanket ban on prisoners voting after a long running battle between Britain and the European Court of Human Rights. The ECHR says stopping prisoners voting breaches their human rights.
In response Mr Lidington added: “The Government is preparing its position ahead of the December meeting of the committee of ministers of the Council of Europe, any changes to our position we will announce to Parliament in the usual way.”