Prisoners should be given vote, say MSPS

Prisoners serving custodial sentences should be given the right to vote, according to Holyrood’s equalities and human rights committee.

The committee began considering prisoner voting in September after receiving a letter from MSP Patrick Harvie.

It has since received a range of evidence about the arguments for and against prisoner voting.

A majority felt that not allowing prisoners to vote did not serve the interests of society, prisoners’ rehabilitation or democracy.

It also found the current blanket ban on voting is “arbitrary”.

Committee Convener, Christina Mckelvie MSP, said: “We as a cross-party committee have come to a majority view that the current ban should be lifted, and the right to vote be restored to all prisoners.”