Ruling could give Scottish prisoners referendum vote

SCOTTISH prisoners could be allowed to vote in the independence referendum after a landmark ruling from the European Court.

The UK has been under pressure to give prisoners the vote since a court judgment almost five years ago.

But the UK Government had managed to freeze the process while the courts heard a final appeal from an Italian convict.

That case came to an end yesterday with a new ruling which says it’s up to individual member states to decide which prisoners get to vote.

It now appears Westminster will have to allow less serious offenders to vote but major criminals serving longer terms will still be barred from the ballot box.

Following yesterday’s decision Westminster has another six months to come forward with a change in the law so prisoners could be free to vote by the time of the independence referendum planned for 2014.

Professor Alan Miller of the Scottish Human Rights Commission said the UK’S “blanket ban” on prisoners voting breached the European Convention on Human Rights.

“The judgment does not create an overnight change, giving prisoners in the UK the vote,” he added. “Rather it provides guidance on how the UK can meet its legal obligations to ensure restrictions on the right to vote are proportionate,” added Prof Miller.

Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: “The Scottish Conservatives would strongly resist any ruling forcing us to allow prisoners to vote to decide Scotland’s most important vote in 300 years.”

Picture: PA. Team Samsung ambassador Zara Phillips with torchbearers Eleanor Smallwood (15) and Toby Jones (15) as she prepared to take part in an Olympic torch relay today.