SIR – Socialists need to be careful before staunchly defending the European Court of Human Rights.
The biggest threat to democracy today comes from unelected, unrepresentative and unaccountable judges forever extending the ambit of “human rights” and in so doing taking issues out of the arena for democratic decision-making.
The ban on prisoners voting is a case in point. It is absurd to suggest that disenfranchising 0.15 per cent of the electorate distorts “the free expression of the opinion of the people”.
The court could not even reach agreement on the point, ironically they had to have a vote!
By contrast, public representatives spoke on February 10, 2011, when a motion for the continuation of the ban was agreed by 234 votes to 22.
Let us fight for rights where it matters, not in courts but in the forum of public opinion.
Max Hey, Fairway Grove, Bradford
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