Prisoners vote could swing marginals as EU interferes in British elections

Today’s ruling by the European Court granting convicts the right to vote in British elections could sway the result in several key marginals, the U.K. Independence Party said today, citing several seats where the prison population approached or exceeded the majority.

[ClickPress, Thu Oct 06 2005] UKIP MEP Nigel Farage said that seats such as Dorset South, Medway, and Sittingbourne & Sheppey were vulnerable to being swung by the votes of prisoners, which could lead to accusations of gerrymandering every time there was a change in prison conditions.

Mr Farage described the ruling as a “wholly improper and unwarranted interference in British democracy” which placed temptation in the government’s way and which could lead to accusations that prisoner’s votes were being bought.

He continued, “In my own constituency, the Sittingbourne and Sheppey seat is held by Labour with a majority of 79, while the population of HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey is 988 and HMP Stamford Hill, also on Sheppey, is 465. In Medway, the Labour majority is 213 while HMP Rochester has a population of 384.

“Clearly, there is a danger to democracy when the government has complete control over the lives of such a significant block of voters in a marginal constituency. In such a confined environment, small improvements in conditions can make a rather large difference to the perceptions of the prisoners.

“If there was no possibility of political interference in prisons, one could afford to be rather relaxed about it. However, one only has to recall the famous Michael Howard interview with Jeremy Paxman to understand the dangers.” ENDS
Notes to editors:
For further information, please contact:
Nigel Farage MEP,
Mark Croucher, UKIP Press Office, 0207-222-9365 or 07960-584161

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