Thursday, March 03, 2005

Give Ian Huntley the Vote says Charles

Here's a piece from the Press Association about Charles Kennedy's appearance on Channel 5. He certainly knows how to get the votes, doesn't he?

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy today faced a grilling from the public in a televised interrogation. Mr Kennedy was quizzed on a range of policies from the war in Iraq, to GM crops, Europe and income tax. During the hour-long discussion on Channel Five he advocated giving convicted criminals like Soham killer Ian Huntley the vote. He was also forced to defend accepting up to £10,000 a year in party funds from fast-food giant McDonald’s despite Lib Dem support for healthy eating. Mr Kennedy rejected putting retribution to satisfy the victims of crime above reforming criminals. On the question of votes to prisoners, he said: “We believe that citizens are citizens, full stop.” Quizzed on whether, in that case, Ian Huntley should be allowed a say, he added: “If you take the view, as we do in principle, that an individual citizen is an individual citizen, that means you have entitlements that go with it in terms of voting.”

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

See Kennedy say it

Anonymous said...

You can see a clip of the show via Libdem watch. I saw the show and every word reported was said.

carlislecookie

Anonymous said...

The silence of the Lambs is deafening!

Anonymous said...

If Michael Howard can use his Home Secretary position to give early release, and thus the vote, to his hard-drug dealing cousin: why shouldn't all criminals be allowed to vote?

Anonymous said...

You do realise that what you said was proved to be untrue. Libel, anyone?

Iain Dale said...

I was going to delete that ridiculous post about Michael Howard but on reflection I won't because it's so pathetic and patently untrue that it shows the desperate levels some idiots will stoop to.

Iain Dale said...
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Anonymous said...

Either you believe that people serve their time (in prison) and come out with a clean slate or you don't.

Mind you, if we follow your logic Iain and Lady F, Jeffrey Archer and Jonathan Aitken would be wiped from the voting system... Suddenly a rather appealing policy I must say!

Iain Dale said...

Anonymous, don't be so pathetic. You know full well that there is no suggestion that prisoners who have served their time should not vote. What we disagree with the LibDems about is that serving prisoners should not have the vote. I know you LibDems try your best to misrepresent what we think and hide your own soft-on-crime policies, but your comment is just laughable.

Anonymous said...

Hear, hear! Couldn't have said it better myself. Well done, Iain!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.