Referendum on the cards

A MAY 5 referendum on changing the voting system looks more likely after the Government made concessions to Labour to end a two-week stand-off in the House of Lords.

The Bill paving the way for a referendum has been delayed because Labour peers insisted on scrutiny of plans to cut the number of constituencies.

Now the Government has agreed to drop plans to scrap public inquiries on boundary changes, but Labour is pressing for further changes.