Dear John, Fuck Off, we're too busy, signed the Lib Dems
Dear John,
My apologies for the delay in getting back to you – I am sure you can appreciate just how busy we are at the moment.
This email is not intended for publication, it is intended to give you an idea about where we stand on the issue.
We have always said that a blanket ban on prisoners voting is not appropriate. We first said this in 2002, before your case came before the European Court. We also think it is unacceptable that the Government have spent the last five years avoiding the European Court decision and kicking the issue into the long grass with consultations.
In contrast, we have made clear what our position is:
The decision on whether prisoners can vote should be taken out of the hands of politicians and put in the hands of judges. There are strong arguments in favour of denying some people the vote but the illegal blanket ban on prisoners voting cannot continue. The Liberal Democrats would give Crown Court judges the right to decide whether the person they are sentencing should be denied the right to vote. This is what happens in France and Germany, among other countries.
This is a position we made clear when the issue was last in the news in April last year: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7992045.stm
Hope that helps,
James
James McGrory
Liberal Democrat Press Office
T: 0207 340 4989
M: 07949 530 449
E: j.mcgrory@libdems.org.uk
I was up all night doing the research and putting in my points in an email which McGrory had asked me to do, only to be told by him that he had not even bothered to read my email because he was too busy fighting an election.
What about the prisoners who have a human right to the vote and are denied this by Brown, Cameron and Clegg?
They are only interested in getting into power so that they can abuse that power once in office.
They have time to do TV debates, but in 5 years, a whole Parliamentary term, they have no time to debate the issue of prisoners human rights?
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
If you fucking behaved yourselves in the first place you wouldn't be inside and would have a vote.
ReplyDeleteGet fucking real!
@ Anonymous - and what about those who are allowed to vote on prison licence, offenders who are serving their sentences in the community? Because whether you like it or not, there are thousands of prisoners in our communities who are still under the watchful eye of probation or are in prison hostels who are indeed allowed to vote!
ReplyDeleteIncluding prisoners families, relatives and friends...
ReplyDeleteThe rush for votes is the retreat from principle.
ReplyDeleteHow did 4 get to be the magic number?
Well Anonymous 1, I hate to have to tell you this honey, but my husband is out on licence. In fact, he has another 3 years to serve amongst the community and he will be voting at this years election darling! Oh, and may I also add, I am his wife who stood by him whilst serving his prison term and I shall be voting too!
ReplyDeleteJanice xxx
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIf you fucking behaved yourselves in the first place you wouldn't be inside and would have a vote.
Get fucking real!
__________________
You get real sweetheart because you are either dense or you just don't get it! How many people do you think will be voting who are currently on prison licence? Here's a tip for you, try taking a look at how many there are on the Government offenders index! It may just open your blind eyes to see just how many offenders on licence in our communities are eligable to vote!