Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Denis MacShane Excerpts

Monday 6th September 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab)]

Will the Deputy Prime Minister clarify one technical point? Do the Government propose a compulsory alternative vote as in Australia where electors have to give a vote for every candidate, or a liberal one whereby they can vote for just one candidate?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

In the Bill, as the right hon. Gentleman will see, we propose an optional preferential alternative vote system: the one used in New South Wales for state elections, not the one used at federal level in Australia.