Coalition can survive AV rift Cameron and Clegg insist

Published on Sunday 1 May 2011 17:18

PRIME Minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg have both insisted that the coalition government can survive this week's referendum on electoral reform, as tensions over the campaign heightened.

The two leaders came out defending the coalition as Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Chris Huhne made what many saw was a veiled leadership challenge by calling for a "progressive coalition".

The tensions mounted as a YouGov/Scotsman poll of 1,100 voters in Scotland showed that 46 per cent oppose replacing the first-past-the-post system with the alternative vote (AV) compared with 43 per cent in favour.

If this was reflected in next week's referendum, then there would be a 52 per cent to 48 per cent victory for the No to AV campaign north of the Border. This is below the UK average of 55 per cent against change and 45 per cent in favour.

But the Yes campaign had been banking on support for change in Scotland because voters north of the Border are used to different electoral systems and are seen as more progressive than many parts of England.

The vote in Scotland is also significant because there is expected to be a higher turn-out because of the Scottish Parliament elections being held on the same day.

However, the Yes campaign took heart that the lead in Scotland for the No campaign had shrunk from 7 per cent last week, while in the UK as a whole the No campaign's lead has gone down from 13 to ten points.

In Scotland, the Yes campaign tried to tap into long-held anti-Tory sentiment in a late attempt to revive its flagging support.

Labour's shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander, who is leading the Yes campaign in Scotland, said: "The Tories are desperate for a No vote and I know many people in Scotland will find that a good enough reason to vote Yes."

But with defeat on the cards, Mr Huhne also came out portraying a Yes victory as a means of keeping of the Tories out of power, even though he sits with them in government.

In a piece for a Sunday newspaper penned jointly with shadow business secretary John Denham and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, Mr Huhne wrote: "Britain consistently votes as a centre-left country, and yet the Conservatives have dominated our politics for two-thirds of the time since 1900.

"On only two occasions in that long century - 1900 and 1931 - have the Tories won a majority of the votes. No wonder David Cameron says the current system has 'served us well'."

Mr Huhne insisted: "Fair votes matter. They matter for the millions of voters who suffered the worst excesses of the Thatcher government despite more than 54 per cent repeatedly voting against her."Both Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron claimed the coalition could survive until 2015 whatever the result of the AV referendum.

Mr Cameron said: "We always knew that this would be a moment of difficulty for the coalition because we always knew that Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would be on opposing sides.

"But I think it is perfectly possible, indeed we will demonstrate that it is possible, to continue a strong and effective coalition government in the national interest for five years."

Mr Clegg, who was branded "a major hindrance" to the Yes campaign by Labour leader Ed Miliband, also said he was still hopeful of victory.

"A lot of people probably haven't quite focused on it yet," he said. "I think there is a lot to play for between now and Thursday."