Friday, February 18, 2011

Compensation claims by prisoners barred from voting blocked by High Court

COMPENSATION claims made by jail lags barred from voting in last year’s general election have been thrown out by the High Court.
Claims were launched by 585 inmates, who say their human rights were breached. There are up to 1,000 potential cases in the pipeline.
Britain’s stance has been challenged by European law chiefs but last week MPs decided to keep the blanket ban on prisoners’ votes.
Judge Mr Justice ­Langstaff said in London that he could only act on current UK law.
The ruling comes as ­Government advisers reportedly told PM David Cameron he could defy the European Court of Human Rights.
It could only exert ­“political rather than judicial” pressure on Britain over the issue, a leaked document said.

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