Prisoners vote

[Chrisjay]

Today the government debates giving prisoners the vote and under what length of sentence they would get the vote if the UK is to comply with the Brussels directive.

What I find deeply disturbing is Cameron, Clegg and senior members of the cabinate are to abstain from voting.

What on earth do they think they are paid to do???  It is a cop out, if the vote goes though 'it wasn't our fault' and if it doesn't 'sorry Brussels we had nothing to do with it, it was them' 

[cheddar-caveman]

Umm? I think that if they are nearing the end of their prison term at the time of the election, no more than a year maybe, then why not make them feel a bit more part of the society they are returning to. Might help them integrate better.

However, for long term prisoners I don't see why they should take any part in activities in the society they decided to opt out of by committing their crime against it.

[Chrisjay]

I agree, on a four year sentence they would serve approx 20 months so I think anyone serving four years or less it is a good compromise to Brussels as if we do not implement something the compensation claims will be horrendous.

[cheddar-caveman]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20110210/tuk-mps-support-prisoner-vote-ban-dba1618.html

So, there we go! Probably cost us a huge fine just to do what WE want. I think it's time we got out of this EU crap and start taking full responsibility for our future.

[Chrisjay]

I would agree there it is time the people had a referendum on several things and to save cost we could have one with all the different questions in it so we voted once on them all and the cost factor was limited.

More suggestions to what we could use the vote on?

The death penalty?

Joining the Euro?

Retaining EU membership?

Same sex marriages?

Scotland and Wales independence?

CCTV and data protection?

Right to Privacy?

Right to protect your property with reasonable force?

Make BBC commercial and do away with TV Licences?

Getting rid of the House of Lords and replacing it with an elected upper house?

Girls right of succession to the throne?

All major issues we the people should have the ultimate say, any other suggestions?

[Chrisjay]

Well we had the symbolic vote when more than half the commons failed to vote and many abstained but the vote was to uphold the ban on prisoners voting I think there were approx 220 votes and we pay the rest for what?

As Strasbourg deemed this to be a law we have to obey whether we like it or not and Westminster says it does not want to obey it I was struck by a thunderbolt of brain power.

Why so far have we obeyed all the directives (laws) from Brussels but now we choose not too?

Why do we struggle with recycling targets because of the directives and threats of fines?

Why do we cow tow to the Health and Safety, working hours, maternity and paternity leave, and all the rest?

Why have we capitulated to every directive (including light bulbs) but now decide we don't want to on an issue that would only affect some 80,000 people out of 60 million plus as we have discussed before?

[cheddar-caveman]

My quick reply:

The death penalty?   YES

Joining the Euro?   NO

Retaining EU membership?  NO

Same sex marriages?  Ummm?

Scotland and Wales independence?  Yes as long as it is 100%. As well as independence they must also be fully self supporting, no power from us etc.

CCTV and data protection? No problem with this.

Right to Privacy?  Certainly

Right to protect your property with reasonable force?  YES

Make BBC commercial and do away with TV Licences?  YES

Getting rid of the House of Lords and replacing it with an elected upper house? YES

Girls right of succession to the throne? YES

All major issues we the people should have the ultimate say. YES

[dingdong]

So they have voted no to prisoners votes, I think there are a lot more important
things they could say no  to than this, is this the governments way of saying they are standing up for Britain against the Eu, if so
I am not impressed.

[Chrisjay]

Welcome Dingdong and I certainly agree with you if you look at the previous list there are many things we think more important than this

As you have only just joined why don't you post an intro on the General Discussion & Chat 'Lets introduce ourselves'

It is very nice to 'meet' you

[cheddar-caveman]

Yes indeed, welcome dingdong! Always nice to have new members, hopefully active ones!
Do leave an "intro" at http://www.pensionersforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,1432.0.html

As you can see, Chris and I are the only two members 

[Chrisjay]

You are clever CC I had not thought of just putting the link in the message, I did however ask the moderator to make it a sticky thread so it was easier for newbies to find so obviously great minds........ 

[avalonmpk2]

Re Prisoners vote No4 reply.
On the face of it it looks fine.
Death penalty: just remember the sheer number of wrongful convictions in the last 25 years!
The rest - I wonder how many new quangos these referenda would create!
And finally if we cannot afford to pay the interest on the borrowings of the loony left how the hell are we going to finance these referenda, I say spend the money on something that will give our children/grandchildren a Nation to be proud of!
I find same sex marriages as abhorrent as paedophilia

[Chrisjay]

I hope you realise that these were suggestions of what we should have a say on not my personal vote for these things

I would be against the death penalty for the reason you outline unless they requested it (sometimes a better alternative than life in prison) knowing they were guilty.

Same sex marriages I am not sure as I am uncomfortable with them but it is a fact of life that same sex couples cohabit legally now

[jackbov]

Mine is an old fashioned view. A prison term served, was a term that equated to the offence. After that the person returned to Society.

If that person's views are not taken into account while in prison, why on earth should they respect the society in which they live.

The way you treat people, is the way they will treat you.

Jack

[Chrisjay]

Welcome Jack and I am pleased someone else agrees with me about how people are treated in prison reflects how they will behave once released.  If they learn respect and discipline they will hopefully retain it and then know how to behave once back into society.