Ken Clarke: We can’t defy the law
Ken Clarke MP, justice secretary, discussed the upcoming vote on the Today programme:
“In this country we’ve always followed the rule of law, the government and parliament does not defy the judgment of courts whose jurisdiction it has always accepted.
“The idea that we’re going to give the vote to murderers and rapists and some of the more alarmist reports is complete nonsense. I don’t think anyone’s remotely suggesting that all the people being punished in Her Majesty’s prisons are going to be given the vote.
“I mean personally, it’s a matter of policy, we would never have touched this subject at all, it’s not the most popular judgment I’ve ever encountered.
“We’re doing the minimum necessary to comply with the ruling that we’ve been given on obligations under the convention of human rights.”
