AV referendum: Bid for Labour swing voters - BBC News

26 April 2011 Last updated at 00:04 ET

Senior Labour figures on both sides of the referendum on voting change are stepping up their appeal for crucial swing voters within the party.

Speaking to the Independent former Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said voters should not pass up the chance to vote Yes and damage the Tories.

While former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said they should vote No to an "expensive and complicated" system.

UK voters will be asked on 5 May whether they want to adopt AV.

The 5 May referendum was a Liberal Democrat condition for entering coalition with the Tories.

But with all Lib Dems in the Cabinet backing the change and their Tory colleagues speaking against it, the two parties making up the coalition have been increasingly pitted against one another during the campaign.

Speaking about the AV referendum, Lord Mandelson said: "Labour shouldn't ignore this chance to defeat the Tories on 5 May.

"Labour supporters need to use their noddle and ask themselves why Cameron is fighting so hard for a No vote. He's fighting for his party's interests but also to protect his own leadership. Labour has a chance to inflict damage on both."

'Stop whinging'

Meanwhile, Ms Beckett said it was "more important than ever that we put aside party differences for the good of the country and that everyone comes out to vote against the unfair and expensive AV system".

"I strongly urge people to look at the two voting systems... our current system is simple, fair and decisive. AV is an expensive and complicated political fudge," she said.

The comments came after the row over AV intensified over the weekend, with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg accusing Prime Minister David Cameron of aligning himself with the far-right BNP "in defence of the indefensible" First Past the Post electoral system.

Liberal Democrat minister Chris Huhne, who refused to rule out resigning as energy secretary over the tensions, threatened legal action over "untruths" he said had been told by Conservatives opposed to the Alternative Vote system.

The Electoral Commission says it cannot investigate claims of dishonesty during the AV referendum campaign.

Meanwhile, leading Conservative backbencher Mark Pritchard MP, Secretary of the 1922 Committee, told Mr Clegg and Mr Huhne to "stop their whinging" about the way opponents of the alternative vote are campaigning.