Reid shares AV platform with PM while Miliband and Cable agree

Published on Monday 18 April 2011 17:33

THE UK's political big beasts squared up to each other yesterday as the battle over a controversial new system for electing MPs moved up a gear.

Tory Prime Minister David Cameron shared a platform with former Labour cabinet minister John Reid, to warn voters against the "wrong" and "unfair" Alternative Vote (AV) system for Westminster elections.

Meanwhile, Ed Miliband appeared at the Yes to AV campaign alongside the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, where the Labour leader urged voters not to use the referendum as an opportunity to punish Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The separate events were held in London yesterday, after a YouGov poll for The Scotsman showed support for replacing the current first-past-the-post system for AV which allows candidates to be ranked in order of preference.

A total of 41 per cent of those interviewed said they were in favour of AV for electing MPs, while 38 per cent want to retain the present system.

But with less than three weeks to the 5 May referendum on adopting the AV system, the Prime Minister acknowledged that millions of voters had yet to engage with the issue.

Mr Cameron urged voters not to "sleepwalk" into a change of voting system for Westminster elections which would damage Britain's democracy.

He said: "I don't think John (Reid] would mind if I say we don't agree on much but we do absolutely agree on this - AV would be wrong for Britain.

"It is obscure, it's unfair, it's expensive, it could mean that people who come third in elections will end up winning. It will make our politics less accountable and I believe it would be a backward step for our country."

He said he and Lord Reid were part of a "wide coalition of people from across political parties and from none".

Former home secretary Lord Reid accused supporters of the 'Yes to AV' campaign of doing so for "tactical party advantage".

The Scottish politician suggested there was a "growing and well founded assumption" that part of the aim of the 'Yes' campaign was to help the Liberal Democrats electorally and the party's leadership personally.

Lord Reid said: "It would not only be wrong but it would be an outrage to try and secure a change of the electoral system for tactical party advantage. I include in that the leadership of the Lib Dems.

"The answer for losing parties is to work harder to win the confidence of the voters not to introduce a system that tries to change losers into winners by some magical complicated mathematical formula."But Mr Miliband rejected the idea that coalitions would become the norm with AV, or that the system would help minor parties such as the BNP.

He said: "I reject all of those groundless fears and I urge people of all persuasions to choose hope over fear."

Mr Miliband said: "The chance to send a message to this Conservative-led government lies in the elections that are taking place in English local government, in Scotland and Wales.

"This referendum is not about Nick Clegg, it's not about David Cameron, it's not about me. It is a chance to have a better politics in Britain. It is a chance to choose hope over fear."