Prisoners will be given the vote in general elections for the first time in 140 years after David Cameron conceded there was nothing he could do to halt a European court ruling demanding the change, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
This is utterly and completely wrong, and I am bitterly disappointed that Cameron had caved in to the EU over the issue. On its own, this is worth a referendum on leaving the EU.
The principle is a simple one. If you break the law, you forego the right to participate in the democratic process that makes the law. If you don't like that, then don't commit murder, theft, rape, whatever. Your choice.
We, the law-abiding majority, create the law, and we enforce it. You, the criminal, are the outsider, and prison is your punishment for messing with us. If you don't like it, tough. You are excluded from society for a reason.
Imagine a prospective MP campaigning in a marginal constituency which has a large prison population, and where that population may be critical in returning a majority. "Vote for me, and I'll let you out early! Vote for me, for better televisions, free lottery tickets and wages for prisoners! Vote for me, and I'll cut police numbers in half!"
Not in those words exactly, but it's going to happen.
When, if ever, are we going to stand up for ourselves?
As I commented to one of our diplomats in China this morning, "I have long suspected that our government prefers murderers and rapists to me. Now I know." I am UK domiciled and - unless I change something radically soon - my estate will be taxed there when I die. I pay council tax and lots of indirect taxes on purchases for my UK house. But as a long-term expatriate, I don't get the right to vote in the only country where I have a right to live. Whereas 70,000 men and women who have behaved abominably (and most of whom have never paid tax) do.
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy. I didn't know you couldn't vote. Was that a recent change?
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