Votes for prisoners

Votes for prisoners

There is an argument that prisoners have forfeited their right to vote by breaching their contract with society

Sir, Of all the issues liable to cause tension with his Tory partners it is odd for Nick Clegg to select that of votes for prisoners, demanded by the European Court of Human Rights (report, Sept 20). On this issue the court has exceeded its brief in interpreting the Code of Human Rights. The proper role of a code of rights is to protect rights such as command virtually universal assent, as permanent principles against transitory public passions or the convenience of transient governments. Only on that basis do unelected judges properly override democratic parliaments.

In the case of prisoners there is a highly plausible argument of principle that they have forfeited their right to vote by breaching their contract with society. There are pragmatic grounds for giving prisoners votes, but Lib Dems should be challenging, not backing, the court’s judgment, which sets a dangerous precedent.

Edmund Gray
Oxford

Prisoners’ rights

In a democracy, voting in elections is a basic human right. Imprisonment serves to deprive people of their liberty, not their identity

Sir, Edmund Gray (“Votes for prisoners”, letter, Sept 22) argues that prisoners should be disenfranchised because they have breached their contract with society and sets this against what he sees as less substantial pragmatic grounds for giving prisoners the vote.

In a democracy, voting in elections is a basic human right. Imprisonment serves to deprive people of their liberty, not their identity.

Enfranchisement is a clear statement that someone retains a stake in society and is wholly in keeping with notions of rehabilitation and efforts to prevent reoffending. A large majority of countries in the Council of Europe already give prisoners the vote.

After six years of prevarication and denial by its predecessors, the coalition Government must abide by a court judgment, in just the same way that it would wish its citizens to be respectful of the law.

Geoff Dobson
Deputy Director
Prison Reform Trust
London EC1

John Hirst
September 23, 2010 1:33 PM

Edmund Gray, you Sir, if you don't mind me saying it, are a blithering idiot!

This is not about the social contract. In any event, many prisoners would contend that society was first to breach the social contract during their upbringing. Then there is the UK failing to honour its obligations to abide by the Convention and Court decisions. If that is not a breach of contact then I don't know what is.

I am annoyed at the media for the way they keep getting people to speak or write about a subject they know nothing about. In your case, silence is golden!


(Source: The Times - Letters to the Editor)