Definitive 'no' to Clegg's hope for electoral reform

WALES has joined the rest of the UK in decisively rejecting a change in way MPs are elected.

Welsh voters threw-out plans to introduce the Alterative Vote system for Westminster elections by 65 per cent to 35 per cent.

Across Britain more than two thirds of voters rejected the AV proposal.

The result will come as a major blow to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg — a referendum on electoral reform was a key part of the coalition deal between his party and the Tories.

Under the AV system voters would have ranked candidates in order of preference — but the electorate overwhelmingly decided to stick with the current first past the post system.

Supporters of a change to AV said it would make voting fairer, result in few "safe seats" dominated by one party, and mean MPs would have to work harder to win-over the electorate.

But opponents said the new system would be unfair, as well as complicated and expensive.

Swansea Lib Dem councillor Stuart Rice — who backed the 'yes' campaign — said: "This is a disappointing result.

"I think we had difficulty in getting the message of electoral reform across to voters in a way that was easy to understand.

"It was not been helped by the negative 'no' campaign, which was based on scare mongering and scare tactics."

But Mr Rice said he did not think the no vote was a blow to Nick Clegg and the coalition.

"Of course it is disappointing for Nick as leader and for those who backed the campaign," he said.

"But we joined the coalition for the national good, and that remains the situation."

However the referendum result was welcomed by Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Swansea West.

He said:"I welcome the clear thumbs down to the idea of AV, which was not a system that would have been proportional or fair, and which would have introduced confusion and less accountability.

"The first past the post system is not perfect — and perhaps there is an argument for making it more proportional — but it is a system which has stood the test of time." He added: "Quite a lot of people are now asking 'what is the point of the Lib Dems?' If they can't deliver electoral reform, what are they for?"

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