Government defeated on vote plans

The Government suffered a defeat in the Lords by just one vote on the plans for a referendum on May 5 on a move from the first-past-the-post system of electing MPs to the alternative vote system.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Feb 2011, 23:09 BST

A move by former Labour Minister Lord Rooker to make the referendum binding only if turnout was 40 per cent or more was backed by 219 votes to 218 during report stage of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.

It was the Government’s third defeat on the Bill, which MPs have already passed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ministers are racing to get on to the statute book before Parliament rises for a half-term break next week.

A similar “threshold” amendment had been opposed by Labour in the Commons, where it was rejected by 549 votes to 31.

But Labour justice spokesman Lord Falconer of Thoroton defended the change of tactics on the grounds that Lord Rooker’s amendment gave Ministers discretion to proceed with AV if it was supported by electors in a below 40 per cent poll.

Liberal Democrat Ministers will be campaigning for a change to AV, where voters list candidates in order of preference, while most Tory ministers will be campaigning against.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Labour promised an AV referendum in its General Election manifesto, but the party is divided on the issue, leader Ed Miliband supporting a change and other senior figures, including former Cabinet Minister Margaret Beckett, against.

Related topics:GovernmentLabourMPsEd Miliband