Highs and lows of a very long night in the House of Lords
Peers made a beeline for the exits as a marathon debate on voting changes got going again in the House of Lords.
Labour’s Lord Falconer said he was “profoundly disappointed people are not staying for the rest of this debate”.
His party objects to plans to cut the number of constituencies, part of a bill proposing a referendum on changing the voting system.
Labour has been accused of “time-wasting” tactics, after an epic all-night session, which started on Monday.
Just six amendments to the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill were debated in nearly 21 hours.
For the referendum on the introduction of the Alternative Vote (AV) for Westminster elections to take place as planned on 5 May, the Bill needs to be law by 16 February.
This is because the Electoral Commission needs a full 10 weeks, as set out in previous legislation, to fully prepare for a referendum.
Under the AV system, voters rank candidates in their constituency in order of preference.
Anyone getting more than 50% of first-preference votes is elected.
If no-one gets 50% of votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their backers’ second choices allocated to those remaining.
This process continues until one candidate has at least 50% of all votes in that round.
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Frustration spilled over into the Commons earlier, with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg accusing Labour of relying on its “dinosaurs” in the House of Lords to prevent the public from having a say on Britain’s voting system.
Mr Clegg conceded the battle with the Lords had meant the legislation had “somewhat stalled” but stressed: “It will be passed. We are determined that it shall be passed.”
During rowdy Commons exchanges, Mr Clegg rounded on Labour leader Ed Miliband, accusing him of “weak political leadership” for allowing his peers to behave in this way.
Opposition has focused on the part of the Bill that plans to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600, which Labour believe would favour the Conservatives.
Lord Falconer warned the government that unless the measure was dropped the legislation would not become law in time for the May referendum.
But he said Labour would cooperate to ensure a 5 May referendum if the Bill was split to allow separate consideration of the constituency changes.
Lord Falconer said: “If the government insist on their timetabling arrangements, then we have no option but to do all in our power to ensure that the Bill does get proper scrutiny and therefore that it will not receive Royal Assent by February 16 if it still contains Part 1 and Part 2.”
Baroness Warsi, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, said: “These time-wasting tactics by former Labour MPs are preventing the public from having a say on a policy Ed Miliband claims he supports.
“His failure to act is either a sign he is weak and cannot control his own party or that he is being opportunistic and playing politics ahead of an important referendum.
“Ed Miliband needs to say clearly whether he supports these tactics or an AV vote.”
Liberal Democrat party president Tim Farron has written to party members asking them to call on Labour peers and MPs to end their “filibuster” of the Bill.
Mr Farron said: “Labour peers are holding the democratic process hostage by blocking any progress of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.
“Ed Miliband has spoken of a new way of doing politics but the tricks employed by Labour peers are the worst example of petty party politics.”
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