Voting by Prisoners

Alan Johnson Excerpts

Thursday 10th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jenkin]

rose—

[Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab)]

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

[Mr Straw]

Of course I will, and then I will give way to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex.

[Alan Johnson]

I support the motion in the name of my right hon. Friend and the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr Davis). Does my right hon. Friend agree that the important issue is not the European convention on human rights, the European Courts, or the universal declaration of human rights, but the reason that the European Court gave for denying a margin of appreciation, which, among other things, was that this House had not debated the issue? That was wrong, but the service provided by this motion is that the House can now judge. People will take different views and put perfectly reasonable arguments, but the important point is that my right hon. Friend and the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden have done us the service of allowing us to debate whether prisoners should have the vote.

[Mr Straw]

I agree entirely with my right hon. Friend, and I thank him for his support. Like any former Home Secretary, he knows how difficult but vital it is to balance rights, liberties, duties and obligations in that very high office.