LABOUR'S Don Thomas (Letter, January 17) is correct in pointing out that the Liberal Democrats favour the right to vote being given to convicted prisoners.
What he does not say is that this extremely bad idea is actively being considered by the Labour government following a ruling by European judges asserting it is unfair' that prisoners cannot vote.
A jail sentence, by definition, is a serious punishment and should involve a loss of citizenship rights - including the right to free movement and the right to vote.
Most prisoners are serial offenders by the time they end up in jail and, while more must be done to rehabilitate them, this is the wrong move.
I suspect that victims of crime will find it deeply disturbing that convicted muggers, burglars and even murderers could soon be voting in national and local elections.
During the recent Electoral Administration Bill, Labour and the Liberals voted against Conservative proposals to re-affirm the law that says prisoners cannot vote, so Mr Thomas is out of step with his own party on this one.
COLIN SMITH, Totton branch, New Forest East Conservatives
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