Mark Harper misleads Parliament!

Mark Harper misleads Parliament!

Govt to appeal on prisoner votes

The Government is to appeal against the European Court of Human Rights decision on prisoner votes, the Cabinet Office has confirmed to PoliticsHome. In a response to a parliamentary question from Labour MP Gordon Marsden, Cabinet Office Under-Secretary Mark Harper said: "We believe that the court should look again at the principles in "Hirst" which outlaws a blanket ban on prisoners voting, particularly given the recent debate in the House of Commons."

Comment: ECHR Article 44 – Final judgments (1) The judgment of the Grand Chamber shall be final. Article 46 – Binding force and execution of judgments 1. The High Contracting Parties undertake to abide by the final judgment of the Court in any case to which they are parties. 2. The final judgment of the Court shall be transmitted to the Committee of Ministers, which shall supervise its execution. All that remains is for the UK to fully comply with Hirst v UK (No2). The Council of Europe has already stated that there is no negotiation and no going back only fully complying with the judgment.