Three prisoners had appealed that denying inmates the vote was in contravention of the Human Rights Act, which the Labour government introduced in 1998. But today two senior judges threw out their claim, agreeing with the 1983 Representation of the People Act that bars convicted prisoners from the electoral roll while they are in prison. They also rejected a bid from the Edward Fitzgerald QC, who represented two of the inmates, to allow an appeal to the court of appeal. Banning prisoners from voting serves no purpose and is a hangover from the 19th century. Parliament should look at this matter again as a matter of urgency.
Remand prisoners are unaffected by the ruling, as they retain their right to vote until sentencing.
Prisoners regain their place on the electoral roll after leaving jail. Mental patients are another group who can vote - provided they are not in a prison hospital. People who live on barges and house boats are eligible too, provided they give a lock keepers house or pub address as a local connection.