Grayling's ECHR warning
Chris Grayling has said he is still considering how to respond to a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights that the blanket ban on prisoners voting is unlawful.
The Prime Minister insisted last week prisoners would not be allowed to vote, but the Justice Secretary said today that there would be “political consequences” of ignoring the ruling.
He told the Andrew Marr Show: “The Government has to think through very carefully, and I have to think through very carefully. I’m thinking through very carefully how we do the right thing for the UK, whilst being very clear – the Prime Minister expressed his view last week in the House of Commons about what he thinks of this issue...
“Ultimately this is a matter for Parliament to decide. At the end of the day, Parliament has, in clear case law, the right to say to the ECHR ‘we do not agree with you’. But... what Parliament must also understand that there are political consequences if it chooses to disagree with the European Court.”
Mr Grayling also confirmed he was looking at how to reform the ECHR, but refused to be drawn on the details of his vision for an altered institution.