EAST Lancashire coalition MPs are split down party lines on whether the country’s voting system for general elections should be changed.

According to national reports, the issue is threatening to open a damaging rift between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

And locally, while the Tory MPs are all against alternative vote (AV), the area’s Lib Dem is firmly in the yes camp.

When the country goes to the polls on May 5 for the latest round of council elections, people will also vote on what voting system the country should use.

The national referendum will ask whether the current first-past-the-post system for electing MPs to Westminster should be replaced by AV.

AV sees voters rank candidates in their constituency in order of preference. Anyone getting more than 50 per cent of first-perference votes is elected.

If no one reaches that level, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their backers’ second choices are allocated to those remaining.

This process is aimed at continuing until one candidate has 50 per cent of the vote.

Gordon Birtwistle, the borough's Liberal Democrat MP, said: "It will be a fairer system and make MPs work harder to attract people that might not otherwise vote for them.”

But Pendle Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson is firmly in the 'no' camp. He said: "I would urge people to reject any costly and complicated replacement, which would only benefit fringe parties."

Ribble Valley Conservative MP Nigel Evans said he would voting 'No' on AV. He said: "I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. It will cost £250million to administer, it's hugely complicated and I've always believed in one person, one vote.”

Darwen and Rossendale’s Conservative MP Jake Berry and Hyndburn Labour MP Graham Jones were unavailable for comment but both are on record opposing AV.

Blackburn Labour MP Jack Straw is the only other East Lancashire MP who is for AV. He said: “I think that it's a fairer system, but it's important not to exaggerate the effect of AV.

“It's not a proportionate system and could produce just as wide a disparity in votes cast and seats gained as first past the post.”