Lords defeats government but date of AV referendum unlikely to change

Yesterday the House of Lords passed an amendment by four votes changing the legislation for a referendum on AV so that rather than the referendum having to be 5 May 2011 it would have to be held at some point before 31 October 2011.

The amendment does not require a date other than 5 May to be used, but it is likely to be overturned in the Commons – especially as the Electoral Commission has expressed its worries over the implications of the amendment.

Today it issued a statement, “setting out its concerns about the implications of the amendment”. These are based on it having consistently called for there to be certainty over the date as soon as possible so that the administration of the referendum can be more easily planned and executed.