Winterton challenge to Miliband over voting

The Doncaster Central MP joins a string of Shadow Cabinet Ministers opposed to axing the current first-past-the-post system and replacing it with the Alternative Vote, where candidates are ranked in order of preference.

According to the No to AV campaign, Ms Winterton told her constituency party last week that she would be voting No because she is a long-time supporter of the first-past-the-post system.

Her decision puts her at odds with Mr Miliband who is backing the “yes” campaign along with Nick Clegg. He is not only her party leader but, as Doncaster North MP, also her constituency neighbour.

Michael Dugher, Labour MP for Barnsley East, has also officially signed up to the No to AV campaign saying: “Although I argued publicly that AV would be bad for Britain earlier this year, I have not so far joined the official No campaign.

“But the stakes are high and I am now happy to lend my name to the campaign and join the hundreds of other Labour MPs and thousands of activists who are going to be voting No too.”

David Cameron yesterday promised a renewed effort to boost the No campaign amid fears that public apathy would see the “yes” campaign – backed by the Liberal Democrats – winning. Foreign Secretary William Hague is a high-profile supporter of the No cause, along with Labour’s former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

The referendum takes place on May 5, the same day as local elections, but campaigners are concerned about the issue’s failure to grab the public imagination.

Shadow Exchequer Secretary David Hanson also came out as a supporter of the No campaign yesterday, along with another six Labour MPs and Peers.