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Controversial report on prisoner voting rights

The report into whether prisoners should get the right to vote has caused highly charged debates.

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Winchester MP on committee for prison vote debate

A Winchester MP is in the middle of the highly charged debate around whether prisoners should be allowed to vote.

Steve Brine has sat on a special joint committee in charge of looking at a bill regarding the prisoners' voting rights.

The committee have published their report reflecting the complex issue which split the members and means prisoners sentenced for less than 12 months will be able to vote.

In scrutinising the draft Bill, the Committee has been examining two separate issues: whether prisoners serving a custodial sentence should be allowed to vote; and the conflict between the European Court of Human Rights, the sovereignty of Parliament and the expressed views of the House of Commons which, in February 2011, placed itself firmly against extending the franchise to serving prisoners."

– Steve Brine, Winchester & Chandler’s Ford MP
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