The European Court on Human Rights has overturned a ban on prisoner voting that dates back to 1870. The case was brought by a prisoner serving a life sentence. As a result of the ruling, 70,000 British prisoners will have their voting rights restored:

The law, brought in not long after transportation to the colonies was abolished and later enshrined in the Representation of the People Act of 1983, denies 70,000 sentenced prisoners the right to vote in parliamentary and local elections. Seven judges at the Strasbourg court ruled the ban breached article three of protocol one to the European convention on human rights, which guarantees "free elections ... under conditions which will ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people in the choice of the legislature".

Eighteen of the countries which have ratified the European convention give prisoners full voting rights, while 13 ban all prisoners from voting. The rest, including Britain, allow some categories to vote. In Britain those remanded in custody who have not yet been sentenced and those imprisoned for contempt of court or failure to pay fines can take part in elections.