A panel of authors, poets and social commentators are to explore whether prisoners should have the right to vote.

An event at Glasgow's Mitchell Library today will also see the launch of Independent Mind - an anthology of poetry produced by prisoners at HMP Kilmarnock.

The debate is to be chaired by poet and novelist Des Dillon, and features Kevin Williamson, founder of Rebel Inc, sociologist and criminologist Stuart Waiton and solicitor Tony Kelly.

Mr Kelly is currently bringing a case on behalf of three prisoners who argue their human rights are being breached by a ban on voting in the independence referendum.

The event is supported by Creative Scotland and led by the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. It is part of the museum's work to reach people who aren't already engaged with its work, particularly those from economically and socially marginalised groups.

The National Trust for Scotland, which runs the museum, has as one of its goals the aim to "inspire more people from the widest possible range of backgrounds."

Museum director Nat Edwards said the debate would address the issue of whether the removal of liberty should include losing the right to vote.

"Robert Burns lived in a time when the struggle for liberty and independence of thought was echoing around the world.

"Topics of real freedom - and what that means to ordinary people - run deep into every aspect of his writing.

"With Independent Minds, we wanted to rediscover some of the passion and poetry Burns brought to politics - and perhaps sneak a little bit of that poetry into some of today's debates."

The poetry anthology being published at today's event is the product of three months work carried out by Mr Williamson earlier this year with HMP Kilmarnock inmates, to encourage them to engage with Burns' poetry and express their feelings through verse.

It has resulted in some striking pieces of writing exploring issues such as liberty, family, mental illness and the politics of independence.

Mr Williamson - the co-director of regular Edinburgh cultural cabaret Neu Reekie - said he had been cautious about getting involved.

"I didn't know what to expect going into prison, as I didn't know what the situation would be. But I was made very welcome and the number of people coming along got bigger every week.

"These guys have no shortage of things to say. In some cases they have little left to them but to talk."

He was shocked to learn, however, how high levels of illiteracy in prison are - with more than 80% of prisoners having poor reading and writing skills by most estimates.

"They got a lot out of the discussions but also from being able to produce something creatively. Most hadn't written poetry before, and probably wouldn't admit to doing it to the guys in the jail."

"It was a real struggle for some of them to get their thoughts down onto the paper. They had the thoughts, but had to really labour to express them. Overall, people got a real buzz and nobody dropped out before the end of the course."

Robert Burns himself, often thought to have a strong appeal to women readers, was also a useful start point, Mr Williamson adds. "We talked about his life a lot and I think some of the prisoners saw him as a real 'guys' guy'," he explains.

In terms of the right to vote, there were mixed feelings. "Some said they should get a vote, others felt they had lost the right. I came out feeling strongly that it is important that they should have the vote.

"Participating in an election is a civic responsibility and if we want people to reintegrate into civic society it makes sense that they should have a vote."

One prisoner, David, said writing had helped him express himself. "They can lock you away physically but with reading books or writing some poetry its a release sometimes to be able to get it down on paper. Just to say 'that's that done, it's finished,' is a relief."

"When I first came in here I was lost, I was up and down like a yo-yo. I was frightened. It has helped me stabilise myself, and in a way escape the jail. I've got a sense of freedom now."

Craig Maxwell, head of learning and skills at HMP Kilmarnock said the poetry anthology was evidence of the positive impact of the project.

"The creative writing class exists and it will continue and we now have evidence to show prisoners that his is what we can achieve and we hope to replicate this in the future.

"Obviously the project was about Burns and Independent Minds, but we can explore other avenues. The legacy exists because the creative writing class exists, it's got a life of its own, it has achieved something and can continue to achieve more."