Trounced — bid to change voting system rejected

YES:17,076 (29 per cent)
NO: 42,623 (71 per cent)
OLDHAMERS reflected the mood of the nation as they gave a resounding thumbs down to changing the UK voting system.

Voters were asked to vote in a referendum on whether the way MPs are elected should change from the current First Past the Post system to the Alternative Vote.

A total of 71 per cent (42,623 people) voted against switching to AV, with only 29 per cent (17,076) voting in favour.

Turnout in Oldham was 38.6 per cent, with just 59,699 of the 159,853 electorate casting a vote.

It was a similar story in Rochdale (71 per cent no, 29 per cent yes) and Tameside (72 per cent no, 28 per cent yes).

The North-West result was 70 per cent no (1,416,201 votes) and 30 per cent yes (613,249 votes). Turnout for the region was 39 per cent.

Nationally, the final result was 68 per cent for no and 32 per cent for yes, with turnout across the country at 42 per cent.

The current First Past the Post system allows an MP to be elected if they get the most votes.

An AV system would see voters marking candidates on the ballot paper in order of preference instead of simply putting a cross next to their first choice.

If one candidate does not receive at least 50 per cent of the vote, the last place candidate drops out and their second preference votes are redistributed.

This process continues until majority support is won by one candidate.

David Heyes, MP for Ashton, which includes Failsworth and Hollinwood, is pleased with the resounding no to AV result.

He said: “The referendum result could not have been more decisive and is a major blow to the Lib-Dems and the coalition. I think we can put the issue of changing the voting system to bed for at least another generation now.

“The turnout in Oldham was just below the national level and while is seems low it was higher than I expected.

“I think it partly reflects the fact that many people didn’t really get to grips with what the referendum was about.

“People needed a simple explanation and I think both sides of the campaign failed to get their basic message across.”

However, his Labour colleague Michael Meacher, MP for Oldham West and Royton, wanted to see a change in the UK voting system and was hoping for a yes result.

He said: “It is tragic that the first opportunity for the electorate to decide on electoral reform was marred by three factors which leave the fundamental issue still unresolved.

“First, it was the wrong option being posed: it’s not AV versus FPTP. It’s PR, some version of proportional representation, versus FPTP. The reason we got served up with the wrong menu is that the Lib-Dems tried to get a referendum on a PR option as a condition for the coalition agreement, but the Tories turned it down flat.

“AV was the miserable, irrelevant compromise.

“Until there is a debate and a national vote on the real issue, PR versus FPTP, this issue will not be settled.

“Second, the Yes campaign never properly explained what AV is, or anyway not adequately, when (from my experience in Oldham) three-quarters of the electors voted without understanding it.

“And thirdly, the tactics of the No campaign were disgraceful — lies, distractions, vitriol, and disinformation on a frenzied scale.

“Politicians now argue this matter is now decided for a generation; it certainly isn’t.”