Scottish Conservatives set to force vote on prisoners voting in Holyrood elections

Plans to allow some prisoners in Scotland to vote in this year’s Holyrood elections will be challenged by the Scottish Conservatives despite a super-majority of MSPs backing the proposals in February last year.

Some prisoners will be given the vote in this year's Holyrood election for the first time.

The party will force a vote on the plans on Wednesday during Scottish Conservative party business.

Douglas Ross said the plans were emblematic of the SNP’s “soft-touch justice system” and would show the party had the wrong priorities.

Plans to extend the franchise for local and Scottish elections to prisoners serving a sentence of under 12 months were passed by a super-majority of 92 to 27, making history as the first piece of legislation passed that required at least two-thirds of MSPs backing it.

The UK Government follows the Scottish Conservative policy of convicted prisoners being unable to vote.

The looming vote comes amid reports that campaigning on soapboxes, canvassing door-to-door, at street stalls and leafleting will be banned ahead of the election in May.

Social media, telephone canvassing and paid delivery mail are all likely to replace traditional methods.

Mr Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives said: “I find it absolutely appalling that in May, convicted criminals serving a sentence will be voting in a Scottish Parliament election for the first time.

“While the rest of us may have to change our usual voting traditions, some of the very worst criminals will be able to vote without any hassle from a jail cell.

“The SNP’s soft-touch justice system is getting worse. This year we’ve seen cuts to victims’ budgets while cash for offenders increases and criminals have been let off as 290,000 hours-worth of unpaid work has been removed from their sentences.

“Our debate this week on prisoner voting will show everyone across Scotland where the SNP’s priorities lie – with criminals, not victims.

“The Scottish Conservatives would end soft-touch justice with a victims’ law as our first piece of legislation in the next Parliament to put those impacted by crime first.”

Responding, justice secretary Humza Yousaf accused the Scottish Conservatives of having “no coherent justice policy”.

He said on Twitter: “Their populism ignores the evidence and as a result would undoubtedly make us less safe & mean we spend £100's millions more on locking people up, as opposed to more effective rehabilitation.”

Michael Russell, the constitution secretary, labelled the criticism from the Scottish Conservatives “deliberate deceit”. He said the UK Government had made the change earlier than Scotland.

A spokesperson for Mr Yousaf later added: “We are providing £18 million to improve support, advice and information for victims and their families and our approach to the justice system has seen the lowest reconviction rate in 21 years [and] one of the lowest crime rates in 40 years. The Tories’ policies would result in Scotland being more unsafe with more victims of crime.

“Under the Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Act, which was passed with a two-thirds majority in February 2020, the franchise was extended to those serving a custodial sentence of 12 months or less.

"The extension of voting rights to some prisoners was introduced to comply with a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights that a blanket ban on prisoner voting breached the European Convention of Human Rights.”

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