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The European Court of Human Rights has ordered the UK government to draw up within six months legislation to give prisoners the vote.
Votes for prisoners were rejected by parliament a few weeks ago - and by an overwhelming majority. This is shaping up as a direct conflict between the United Kingdom as a sovereign state and the ECHR, an institution to which all EU nations belong and which the EU itself may soon be joining direct. Very messy!
The six months is up next Friday. On Thursday the UK parliament will be considering and voting on legislation which - if passed - would give prisoners on short sentences the vote at some unspecified future date. All the indications are that it will be rejected by an overwhelming vote.
Watch this space.