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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Brown faces vote reform rebellion | Brown faces vote reform rebellion |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown is facing a backbench rebellion over plans for a referendum on changing Britain's "first past the post" voting system. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown is facing a backbench rebellion over plans for a referendum on changing Britain's "first past the post" voting system. |
| He wants it replaced by an "alternative vote" system, in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. | He wants it replaced by an "alternative vote" system, in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. |
| If MPs vote in favour of the referendum later there is unlikely to be enough Parliamentary time to get it on to the statute book before the election. | If MPs vote in favour of the referendum later there is unlikely to be enough Parliamentary time to get it on to the statute book before the election. |
| But up to 40 Labour MPs are still planning to vote against the plan. | |
| The rebels believe a change to alternative vote would benefit the least unpopular, rather than the most popular, candidates and could cost Labour seats at future elections. | |
| 'Directly accountable' | 'Directly accountable' |
| Some also see it as a political move designed to woo the Liberal Democrats in the event of a hung Parliament - something denied by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. | Some also see it as a political move designed to woo the Liberal Democrats in the event of a hung Parliament - something denied by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. |
| WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE VOTE? Voters rank candidates in order of preference and anyone getting more than 50% in the first round is elected.If that doesn't happen, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their second choices allocated to the remaining candidatesThis process continues until a winner emerges | WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE VOTE? Voters rank candidates in order of preference and anyone getting more than 50% in the first round is elected.If that doesn't happen, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their second choices allocated to the remaining candidatesThis process continues until a winner emerges |
| Mr Benn told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "It is about doing the right thing because we do need to restore trust in politics. | Mr Benn told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "It is about doing the right thing because we do need to restore trust in politics. |
| "This is an opportunity to make a change to try to restore trust and confidence in the system which, of course, has been hugely damaged by what has happened." | "This is an opportunity to make a change to try to restore trust and confidence in the system which, of course, has been hugely damaged by what has happened." |
| MPs are set to vote on an amendment to the Constitutional Reform Bill for a referendum for an alternative vote system later on Tuesday. | MPs are set to vote on an amendment to the Constitutional Reform Bill for a referendum for an alternative vote system later on Tuesday. |
| The amendment would pave the way for a referendum on voting reform next year - but the Tories would almost certainly overturn it if they win this year's election as they are strongly opposed to scrapping Britain's first past the post system, which they believe guarantees strong and stable government. | The amendment would pave the way for a referendum on voting reform next year - but the Tories would almost certainly overturn it if they win this year's election as they are strongly opposed to scrapping Britain's first past the post system, which they believe guarantees strong and stable government. |
| Announcing the reform plan last week, Mr Brown said it was part of a wider commitment to constitutional reform. | Announcing the reform plan last week, Mr Brown said it was part of a wider commitment to constitutional reform. |
| He said the alternative vote would let MPs keep their link to their constituencies and be elected with much broader support than just from those who picked them as their first choice. | He said the alternative vote would let MPs keep their link to their constituencies and be elected with much broader support than just from those who picked them as their first choice. |
| "It offers a system where the British people can, if they so choose, be more confident that their MP truly represents them, while at the same time remaining directly accountable to them," Mr Brown said. | "It offers a system where the British people can, if they so choose, be more confident that their MP truly represents them, while at the same time remaining directly accountable to them," Mr Brown said. |
| Labour pledged a referendum on electoral reform in its 1997 election manifesto but the idea was kicked into the long grass by Tony Blair after his landslide victory. | Labour pledged a referendum on electoral reform in its 1997 election manifesto but the idea was kicked into the long grass by Tony Blair after his landslide victory. |
| 'Death-bed conversion' | 'Death-bed conversion' |
| Asked why he was looking at it now, Mr Brown said the damage done to Parliament's reputation by the expenses scandal had demonstrated the need to act. | Asked why he was looking at it now, Mr Brown said the damage done to Parliament's reputation by the expenses scandal had demonstrated the need to act. |
| But Conservative leader David Cameron accused Mr Brown of trying to "fiddle" the electoral system "in a cynical attempt to save his own skin". | But Conservative leader David Cameron accused Mr Brown of trying to "fiddle" the electoral system "in a cynical attempt to save his own skin". |
| The Liberal Democrats intend to put forward their own amendment to the bill. The party says the AV option is "a small step in the right direction" but not a substitute for a fully fledged proportional system. | The Liberal Democrats intend to put forward their own amendment to the bill. The party says the AV option is "a small step in the right direction" but not a substitute for a fully fledged proportional system. |
| "If they agree it, this is a deathbed conversion from a party facing defeat at the general election," said home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne. | "If they agree it, this is a deathbed conversion from a party facing defeat at the general election," said home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne. |
| A number of Labour MPs are also thought to be sceptical of the idea and, with time for parliamentary business running out before the election, the measure stands little chance of becoming law. | A number of Labour MPs are also thought to be sceptical of the idea and, with time for parliamentary business running out before the election, the measure stands little chance of becoming law. |
| As a result several would-be Labour rebels told the BBC they would not vote against the government, one declaring: "It's dead before it's even started - so what's the point?" | As a result several would-be Labour rebels told the BBC they would not vote against the government, one declaring: "It's dead before it's even started - so what's the point?" |