Votes for prisoners opposed
LLANELLI Town Council has passed a motion at its July full council meeting opposing calls by Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru AMs to give prisoners the vote in Welsh elections.
The motion opposing the call, put forward by Cllr Siôn Davies and seconded by Cllr Chris Griffiths, resolved to put pressure on AM Lee Waters and Mid and West Wales’ four Regional Assembly Members to oppose the ‘out of touch’ proposal.
A motion in the Senedd calling for all prisoners to have the vote was passed by 36 AMs to 14, with one abstention, in January 2019.
Cllr Siôn Davies, who is the only Welsh Conservative on Llanelli Town Council, representing the Elli ward, said: “The vote taken in the Welsh Assembly has set Wales on a path towards giving prisoners – which include murderers, rapists, terrorists, and paedophiles – the right to elect our AMs and councillors.”
The motion was put forward to Llanelli Town Council and was passed by 11 votes, with the six Labour councillors in attendance abstaining.
Cllr Chris Griffiths, who sits as an Independent, represents the Lliedi ward.
He said: “The taxpaying and law-abiding citizens of Llanelli will be furious to learn of the intention to give voting rights to prisoners at a time when public trust in politicians is at an all-time low.
“The people I speak to see absolutely no benefit in this idea. They would much rather see our elected representatives spend time debating real issues, like how to deliver a first-class NHS, and make sure children get a good education.”
Cllr Siôn Davies added: “The fact that our local AM Lee Waters, and our regional AM, Helen Mary Jones, have previously voted to give prisoners the vote doesn’t fill me with confidence. We already know their views are deeply out of step with most people. Nevertheless, I hope they take what we’re saying seriously.”