European Court of Human Rights rules UK prisoners should have the vote

12.44.41pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 6th Oct 2005

The European Court of Human Rights has today ruled that UK prisoners should have the right to vote. The Government were taken to Court by John Hirst, whilst he was serving a sentence for Manslaughter. During the General Election the Liberal Democrats were criticised fro suggesting that prisoners should be allowed to vote, it is good the see the European Court of Human Rights agreeing with the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Hirst said his fight had been about breaking the link between crime and the right to take part in the democratic process. "The human rights court has agreed with me that the government's position is wrong - it doesn't matter how heinous the crime, everyone is entitled to have the basic human right to vote."

The Court ruled his human rights had been breached because the 1983 Representation of the People Act does not allow convicts to take part in parliamentary and local elections. The decision means that legal changes will need to be made to give prisoners the option to cast their vote in future national and regional elections.