Representation of the People Act 1981

In a British legal act, the Representation of the People Act 1981, an election law change is committed, which should prevent future that in prison fixed paramilitary prisoners in Northern Ireland Republicans are eligible to run for election to the British House of Commons in the future.

The specific reason for the suffrage amendment was the election victory of the imprisoned IRA member Bobby Sands in the Maze Prison, who was elected in April 1981 to the British House of Commons and 26 days, died after his election victory in the Northern Ireland constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone from the consequences of his politically motivated hunger strikes. The strike had to regain the status of political prisoner to the target, the Northern Ireland Special Category Status.

In the British electoral law of 1981 stipulates that no person may stand in the House elections, was sentenced to more than a year in prison in the past for a criminal offense in the UK or in the Republic of Ireland or is convicted during a meeting that choice. This applies equally to elected members of the House.

Because of this law no prisoner could stand and it was Owen Carron set up as a compromise candidate of the national forces in Northern Ireland, who made no secret of his sympathy for Sinn Féin and won the by-election in Fermanagh & South Tyrone by a large majority.