THOUSANDS of rapists, killers and paedophiles will get the right to vote after ministers caved in to pressure from Europe, it emerged last night.
Justice Minister Michael Wills said the Government would change the law to allow most prisoners to have their say at elections.
The plans could see as many as 28,800 criminals serving less than four years being treated the same as law-abiding members of the public. Offenders getting the vote could include those guilty of manslaughter and terrorist offences. There was an angry reaction to the news last night. Shadow Justice Secretary Dominic Grieve said: “Many people will question whether this is a sensible development.
“The principle that those who are in custody after conviction should not have the opportunity to vote is a perfectly rational one. Civic rights go with civic responsibility. The Government must allow a parliamentary debate which gives MPs the opportunity to insist on retaining our existing practice that convicted prisoners can’t vote.”
A consultation document slipped out by the Ministry of Justice last night leaves open the possibility that prisoners could choose to register their prison address, changing the political balance in dozens of council and parliamentary seats.
Geoffrey Cox, Tory MP for Torridge and West Devon, which includes Dartmoor Prison, said: “It conjures up the prospect of me canvassing down the corridors and knocking on cell doors.
“I think all law-abiding members of the public will be outraged.”
Mr Cox, who is also a QC specialising in criminal law, added: “I’m extremely disappointed that the Government has decided to kow-tow to Europe on this.”
The document backs prisoners casting their ballot by post or proxy. But behind-bars polling stations are not ruled out. Glyn Travis, of the Prison Officers’ Association, branded the proposals a nightmare.
“It will create massive amounts of paperwork and be a huge security risk,” he said. But Geoff Dobson, deputy director of the Prison Reform Trust, called for all prisoners to be given the vote.
“Voting in a democracy is a basic human right for all citizens, not just those thought to be deserving.” The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2004 that the ban on prisoners voting, which dates back more than 140 years, was unlawful. Its intervention came after a case brought by John Hirst, who served 25 years for killing his landlady.
Ministers launched a consultation process but reform groups complained to the Council of Europe about delaying tactics.
Yesterday’s consultation paper sets out a range of options, including enfranchisement for prisoners serving less than a year, less than two years or less than four years.
Prisoners serving more than four years will not be considered.
Mr Wills said the Government was inclined towards the lower end of the spectrum. The European Court ruling had made it “legally unavoidable” that voting be extended to some prisoners. But he insisted: “We will ensure that the most serious and dangerous offenders held in custody will not be able to vote.”
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