Should criminals be allowed to vote?

Convicted prisoners in the UK are to get the right to vote after a European ruling found the present 140-year-old ban breaches human rights

Tens of thousands of convicted prisoners in the UK are to get the right to vote after a European ruling found the present 140-year-old ban breaches human rights.

Since 1870, sentenced prisoners have not been allowed to vote in the UK. But, on the advice of lawyers, the Coalition Government is set to confirm that it is ready to change the law to comply with a 2004 European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling.

Prime Minister David Cameron is said to be ‘exasperated and furious’ at having to remove the voting ban on Britain's 70,000 prison inmates, but is being forced to do so rather than cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds in litigation costs and compensation.

Do you think it’s right that all prisoners, including murderers and child abusers serving life sentences, should have the right to vote? Do you think it’s every human’s right regardless of their behaviour? Or do you think this is yet another example of Britain pandering to European law and giving up more of its rights to govern itself?

Is our judicial system providing prisoners with an easy ride and overly comfortable lifestyle inside jail? Should criminals forfeit all rights when they are locked up?

Let us know your thoughts on this controversial subject by posting your comment below.

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