Shrewsbury MP's no to AV campaign

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski was today due to launch the official "No to the Alternative Vote" campaign in the town.

The Tory MP was set to join campaigners at the Shirehall at lunch-time to outline why he believes people should say 'No' when they vote in a referendum next month on the proposed voting system.

Members of the public will be given the choice to opt for the new system or retain the "first past the post" method of voting. The referendum will take place on May 5, having been agreed as part of the ConLib Coalition Agreement drawn up after the 2010 general election.

It will be only the second time a referendum will be held throughout the whole of the UK - the first since 1975. It will be the first UK-wide referendum to be legally binding upon the Government.

Mr Kawczynski says controversial plans for a referendum to change Britain's voting system could help extremists like the BNP get elected.

He has vowed to campaign "vigorously" against the proposals, and said the alternative vote system would "help extremist parties".

"BNP second preferences could decide the outcome of a seat," the Shropshire MP told the Commons in a debate last September.

Mr Kawczynski, Tory chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for the promotion of first-past-the-post, told the debate: "I think it's the equivalent of watching Nero fiddle while Rome burns.

"We have so many problems in our country yet we are being distracted by this ridiculous referendum which is going to cost taxpayers between £80 million and £100 million."

"I believe in one man, one vote. Under AV, some people will have two votes while others will have only one. How can that be fair?"