The Conservatives have been accused of pre-election “tub thumping” after a motion to ban all prisoners form voting in May’s election was rejected by MSPs.
The SNP, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Greens voted down the call by Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr that no prisoner should be allowed a vote.
James Kelly, Glasgow Labour MSP, said the Tories were pandering to right wingers ahead of an election.

Glasgow Times:
He said: “ It is regrettable when there are so many big issues that the Tories thought to use an hour of debate time on an issue that was resolved a year ago. 

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He said it was “naked electioneering” and “tub-thumping to a small group of right wingers in the country. This is an election tactic that will fail.”
He said people will instead vote on health educations and jobs.
Last year Holyrood voted 92 to 27 to allow prisoners serving a sentence of 12 months or less to vote in Scottish Parliament elections.
Kerr said it was “morally repugnant” after he outlined the offences of a number of prisoners in Scotland who would be able to vote, including assaults, sexual offences and one who was convicted of homicide.

Glasgow Times:
He said: “It is not right, it’s not fair, it is not just”.
He added: “When I walk out the chamber after decision time tonight, I will look victims and relatives in the eye and say that my Conservative colleagues and I voted to ensure no individual serving a prison sentence should be allowed to vote in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.”
The SNP also criticised the Conservatives and questioned the motivations for the debate.
Michael Russell, constitution secretary said: “This debate has nothing to do with justice or democracy or even fairness, it has to do with trying to shore up the core hard-right vote in Scotland.
“It is a sign of Conservative desperation.”
When passed last year by MSPs it was described as being necessary to allow certain prisoners the right to vote to comply with the European Court of Human Rights ruling on prisoner voting.
The Conservatives also opposed the change last year when it was introduced at Holyrood.