Iain Dale in pot calling kettle black

Iain Dale in pot calling kettle black

Iain Dale writes: The Questions David Wright MP Should Answer

Here's a letter Eric Pickles has written to David Wright MP...

Whatever.

I emailed Eric Pickles asking the question why he had asked a question in the House relating to the consultation exercise. If anybody should be answering anybody its Eric Pickles should be answering me!

Dear Sarah Bridgman

Thank you for your email in response to my enquiry.

However, this view "We do not support giving convicted prisoners the right
to vote, as a term of imprisonment should involve a loss of civic rights -
from freedom of movement to the right to vote." is not in line with the
ECtHR judgment in Hirst v UK(No2).

"69. In this case, the Court would begin by underlining that prisoners in
general continue to enjoy all the fundamental rights and freedoms

guaranteed under the Convention save for the right to liberty, where

lawfully imposed detention expressly falls within the scope of Article 5 of

the Convention".

"59. As pointed out by the applicant, the right to vote is not a privilege.

In the twenty-first century, the presumption in a democratic State must be in

favour of inclusion, as may be illustrated, for example, by the parliamentary

history of the United Kingdom and other countries where the franchise was

gradually extended over the centuries from select individuals, elite

groupings or sections of the population approved of by those in power.

Universal suffrage has become the basic principle (Mathieu-Mohin, 51,

citing X. v. Germany, no. 2728/66, Commission decision of 6 October 1967,

Collection 25, pp. 38-41)".

"63. The present case highlights the status of the right to vote of

convicted prisoners who are detained".

The Court concluded that the UK was in violation of the Convention".

The Tory party appears to be in a conspiracy with Labour to support the
breach of citizens human rights, rather than attacking Labours breaches of
the law.

Will you please now confirm that the Tory party does not care about human
rights and the rule of law?

Yours sincerely

John Hirst