here's a thing,
the case before the ECHR in 2009 was actually about prisoners not being able to vote in the European Parliament elections, not in UK elections. European election, European rules, makes sense to me.
Anyway the point about people forfeiting their rights when they commit crimes is really rather sinister. I used to believe that myself, back in the day, but it is vitally important that convicted criminals are still human beings and the law still applies to them. The Tories seem to want to make rights conditional on good behaviour generally, and i find that a deeply disturbing direction to head in.
William Roper: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!
Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!
Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
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Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Thu 14 May 2015, 8:39,
Reply)