Controversial plan to let some prisoners have the vote
AROUND one in eight Scottish prisoners will be given the right to vote under plans SNP ministers admit will be “an unwelcome change” for many people.
The Scottish Government suggested prisoners serving sentences of less than 12 months could be re-enfranchised as it launched a public consultation on the issue.
The Scottish Tories said no prisoner should be allowed to vote at all. If adopted, the plan would see about 1,000 of Scotland’s 8,000-strong prison population able to cast a proxy or postal vote during a Holyrood or local election.
Prisoners serving longer sentences for more serious offences would lose the right to vote, while those on remand, parole and home detention curfew would continue to have it.
The idea of a partial ban on prisoner voting follows the current blanket ban on prisoner voting being deemed a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Although it has suggested only prisoners serving less than
12 months should be allowed to vote, the Scottish Government is now asking for views on the appropriate cut-off point.
Earlier this year, Holyrood’s Equalities Committee recommended the ban on prisoner voting should be removed “in its entirety”.
However Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell said the Government disagreed.
He said: “It is clear the blanket ban on prisoners voting is no longer fit for purpose as it is not compatible with human rights law. Having considered the report and taken into account international practice, the Scottish Government does not take the view that all prisoners should be given the vote.
“I recognise that for many people giving any prisoners the vote will be an unwelcome change and there will be concerns about the feelings of the victims of crime.
“This is why restricting voting rights to those with short sentences strikes us as a reasonable and proportionate response.”
The Scottish Tories said they wanted the blanket ban to remain.
MSP Annie Wellssaid: “Our focus is on ensuring that victims are the centre of our justice system, not the criminal.”