Securing Votes for Prisoners
The issue of prisoner voting has come close to rupturing the UK’s place in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Shaping policy on prisoner voting rights
Colin Murray was specialist adviser to the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on the Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill. He shaped its conclusion that short-term prisoners should get voting rights.
Successive UK governments have opposed enfranchising prisoners. The Committee’s support for enfranchising short-term prisoners illustrates Colin's significant contribution.
The UK Government's now abandoned draft legislation that would have breached the ECHR.
The Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly have thereafter drawn upon Murray’s research. They've used it to justify their support for enfranchising thousands of prisoners.
