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Clegg under fire over referendum | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Mr Clegg criticised "synthetic fury" over plans to reduce MP numbers | |
Deputy PM Nick Clegg has come under fire for planning a voting system referendum on the day of elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | |
He told the Commons the referendum on switching from first-past-the-post system was planned for 5 May 2011. | |
Plaid Cymru's Elfyn Llwyd said it smacked of "contempt", Tory MP Bernard Jenkin said it would "artificially" inflate turnout. | |
Mr Clegg said it would cost millions to hold a referendum on another day. | |
He said "additional cost, complexity and delay" would arise if a referendum were planned for another day. | |
'Major U-turn' | |
In his statement he also outlined plans for five-year fixed term Parliaments - and said 66% of MPs would be needed to force an earlier election. | |
That is higher than the 55% of MPs the coalition had said would be needed for Parliament to be dissolved and follows a row over the figure, which was opposed by Labour and some Tory MPs. | |
He also told MPs that if a government was not formed within 14 days of a prime minister losing a confidence vote an election would be held. | |
Labour's Jack Straw said raising the level to 66% was a "major U-turn". | |
Mr Clegg's statement covered wider reforms, including reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600 - which he said would save £12m a year. Reviewing constituency boundaries would "create fewer and more equally sized constituencies". | |
AV referendum | |
But shadow justice secretary Jack Straw warned against the government trying to combine electoral reform with "wholly partisan" plans to reduce the number of MPs in a way that discriminated against Labour. | |
An agreement to hold a referendum on changing the voting system to the "alternative vote" (AV) was a key part of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition deal. | An agreement to hold a referendum on changing the voting system to the "alternative vote" (AV) was a key part of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition deal. |
But it must go through Parliament, where many Tory and Labour MPs oppose such a reform. | But it must go through Parliament, where many Tory and Labour MPs oppose such a reform. |
Most Conservative MPs are against a change to AV - but they will be expected to vote for the referendum bill as it was a key component of the coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats, who do want it. | Most Conservative MPs are against a change to AV - but they will be expected to vote for the referendum bill as it was a key component of the coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats, who do want it. |
They will then be free to campaign against AV in the referendum. | They will then be free to campaign against AV in the referendum. |
Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said on Friday he would campaign against AV in the referendum. | |
If held on 5 May 2011, it would mean the referendum is held on the same day as the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and English local elections. | |
The Conservatives argue the existing first-past-the-post system guarantees strong, stable government, while Lib Dems argue it is unfair on smaller parties and allows candidates to be elected on the support of only a minority of constituents. | The Conservatives argue the existing first-past-the-post system guarantees strong, stable government, while Lib Dems argue it is unfair on smaller parties and allows candidates to be elected on the support of only a minority of constituents. |
Under the proposed AV system, voters rank candidates in order of preference. | Under the proposed AV system, voters rank candidates in order of preference. |
Anyone getting more than 50% in the first round is elected, otherwise the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters' second choices allocated to those remaining. This process continues until a winner emerges. | Anyone getting more than 50% in the first round is elected, otherwise the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters' second choices allocated to those remaining. This process continues until a winner emerges. |
The Lib Dems would prefer a different voting system - the Single Transferable Vote - which they believe is a more proportional system than AV. | The Lib Dems would prefer a different voting system - the Single Transferable Vote - which they believe is a more proportional system than AV. |
But speaking before the general election, Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg told the Independent newspaper: "AV is a baby step in the right direction - only because nothing can be worse than the status quo." | But speaking before the general election, Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg told the Independent newspaper: "AV is a baby step in the right direction - only because nothing can be worse than the status quo." |