{"id":332877,"date":"2017-10-31T06:41:29","date_gmt":"2017-10-31T05:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/should-prisoners-have-the-right-to-vote-uk-finally-folds-under-pressure-from-echr-rt-uk-news\/"},"modified":"2017-10-31T06:41:29","modified_gmt":"2017-10-31T05:41:29","slug":"should-prisoners-have-the-right-to-vote-uk-finally-folds-under-pressure-from-echr-rt-uk-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/should-prisoners-have-the-right-to-vote-uk-finally-folds-under-pressure-from-echr-rt-uk-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Should prisoners have the right to vote? UK finally folds under pressure from ECHR \u2014 RT UK News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Prisoners could be granted the right to vote for the first time after the British government appeared to finally concede to demands from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The court in Strasbourg has been calling on the UK to give inmates a say for the past 12 years.<\/p>\n

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Britain has repeatedly refused to comply. However, reports suggest that David Lidington, the justice secretary, is now prepared to consider lifting the blanket ban to placate Britain\u2019s European neighbors.<\/p>\n

Under the proposals, only a small number of prisoners would be granted voting rights, however.<\/p>\n

Those who are serving less than 12 months and qualify for day release would be allowed to cast a ballot. This would confer the right to vote on as few as 100 prisoners.<\/p>\n

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The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) decision could prove wildly unpopular and provoke a backlash among MPs, particularly among those who think that prison life is too easy in Britain.<\/p>\n

In recent years, a number of prisoners have sought compensation from the government, arguing it is their \u201chuman right\u201d to cast a vote. The ECHR refused to grant costs to 10 claimants in respect of their cases, despite ruling Britain had breached the European Convention on Human Rights.<\/p>\n

According to the Convention, prisoners do have the right to vote. The ECHR first ruled in 2005 that the UK blanket-ban on prisoner voting must be amended. The 2005 case was brought by convicted killer John Hirst, who has since been released after serving 25 years in jail. Later cases were brought in 2009 and 2011.<\/p>\n

In 2015, the ECHR said it is lawful to prevent anyone who has committed serious crimes from voting. Then-prime minister David Cameron said the thought of prisoners voting made him feel \u201cphysically ill\u201d<\/em> and refused to budge.<\/p>\n