Prisoner voting rights have been in the headlines again this week, and as the Justice Secretary stood in the House defending Britain from the European Court of Human Rights’ latest ruling, I was also defending our common sense approach to prisoner voting on BBC Radio Four’s World at One. Quite why the ECtHR is looking to chastise Britain on this issue is a complete mystery to me, but it smacks of mission creeps and is precisely the sort of action that brings the Court’s reputation into disrepute. Of course I support fundamental human rights, and I know full well the importance of the rule of law from my days as a Barrister, but if the Court believes it will bully our country into giving prisoners the vote, it can think again. Our Parliament has been clear, the Prime Minister has been clear and I am absolutely clear on this issue: if someone commits an offence so serious that it attracts a custodial sentence, they forfeit their right to take part in our elections. This principle has been a part of our legal system for the past 140 years and we are going to do everything necessary to ensure that a ban remains in force. It is high time we put this issue behind bars and, unlike Labour, we will be keeping the key as far away from the meddling hands of the ECtHR as possible. I, for one, would much prefer to see its Judges focusing on the rights of law abiding citizens who suffer at the hands of these criminals, rather than those of a minority group who made a conscious decision to break their contract with society and commit crimes. Bob Neill, Member of Parliament for Bromley & Chislehurst