‘One person one vote’ principle under threat claim campaigners

Supporters of the British National Party could effectively have had up to six votes in some constituencies in Yorkshire while Tory or Labour voters would have had just one if the General Election had been fought under the Alternative Vote (AV) system rather than first-past-the-post, according to research released by the No to AV campaign.

But campaigners admit the “no” cause is likely to suffer if turnout in the referendum is low, with some experts predicting it could be as low as 20 per cent in some parts of the country.

Matthew Elliott, Campaign Director of NO to AV, said he wanted people to start “waking up” to the debate but claimed the “yes” campaign had “hidden in their London bunker” because they knew the majority of voters do not like AV when they find out about it.

Under AV, voters rank candidates in order of preference with the person with fewest votes dropping out and their supporters’ second preferences being counted until one contender gets at least 50 per cent of support.

Analysis of the General Election results reveals that if AV had been used, BNP supporters in Sheffield Central, York Central, Huddersfield and Grimsby could have effectively had their votes counted four times if they had switched support to the losing candidate in each round.

In contrast, Labour supporters would only have had one vote because the party won each of those the seats, so their second preference would never have been counted.

Mr Elliott said: “As this research reveals, a ‘yes’ vote to the unfair and expensive Alternative Vote on 5 May, is a ‘yes’ to unequal votes and a ‘yes’ to giving BNP supporters more power at the ballot box.

“One person, one vote isn’t just the bedrock of the British voting system, it is a principle which has become a beacon to the rest of the world.”

He added: “The Alternative Vote threatens that principle and should be comprehensively rejected on 5 May.”

But Katie Ghose, Chair of Yes to Fairer Votes, said: “AV is one person one vote. The difference is you get a vote that really counts and more of a say on who your local MP is.

“The BNP are actively campaigning for a No vote. AV is an anti-extremist system because it means all politicians will have to reach out to 50 per cent of voters.

“Whenever Nick Griffin’s party has sneaked into our town halls they’ve been opposed by the vast majority of voters. He knows that extremists have no future with AV.”

The “no” campaign is backed by most Tory MPs along with more than 200 Labour MPs and Peers, while the Lib Dems are backing AV along with Ed Miliband and the rest of the Labour party.

This weekend Lib Dem Energy Secretary Chris Huhne launched an extraordinary attack on Tory chairman Baroness Warsi, as splits over the referendum threatened to divide the Cabinet.

Mr Huhne is furious at “no” campaign posters claiming the AV referendum – said to be costing £90m – is depriving babies of hospital equipment and soldiers of body armour, which Mr Huhne said was the “politics of the gutter”.

He urged Baroness Warsi, a key figure in the “no” camp, to withdraw the claims and clean up its campaigning. The “no” campaign claims that the referendum and change to the AV system would cost £250m – a figure rejected by those supporting the change.