Ed Miliband backs Nick Clegg on voting reform

Labour leader Ed Miliband said yesterday he would be a "vocal" advocate of voting reform in the referendum scheduled for 5 May.

And he said he would share a platform with anyone the "Yes to AV" campaign wanted him to - raising the prospect that he could appear alongside Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Mr Miliband told a London press conference that his priority in May would be the elections to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and English councils being staged the same day.

But he left no doubt he would add his voice to the campaign to replace first-past-the-post voting for Westminster elections with the Alternative Vote (AV).

"The priority for May is the local and Scottish and Welsh elections," said Mr Miliband. "That said, I will be a vocal supporter of AV, because I think that it is part of a reform of politics which we need in this country.

"It is about greater accountability in politics and should be part of a whole set of changes to the House of Lords and other things."

Asked whether he would be willing to appear alongside the Deputy Prime Minister - also a strong supporter of reform - to call for a Yes vote, Mr Miliband said: "There is a 'Yes to AV' campaign. I will share platforms with whoever they want me to share a platform with."