Gordon Brown's proposed referendum on replacing first-past-the-post with the Alternative Vote won a majority in the Commons Tuesday night, meaning that a popular vote will be made on the subject by October 2011.
The resolution was passed by a vote of 365 to 187 after the Liberal Democrats joined the vast majority of Labour MPs to support the move; while partisan interests have been vehemently denied as reasons for both parties' support of the reform, both parties stand to gain seats through the new system.
The battle over electoral reform, which is strongly opposed by the Conservatives, will now go to the House of Lords for final approval. Labour and the Liberal Democrats hope last night's majority of 178 will increase pressure on peers not to stall the measure.
Tuesday's result came after a four-hour debate in the Commons during which the Tories accused Labour of attempting to rig the voting system in its favour.
The expected rebellion by large numbers of Labour MPs against the AV vote failed to materialise after they heeded their whips' pleas for unity.
Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, denied the move was for electoral gain or designed to pave the way to a deal with the Liberal Democrats in a hung parliament, both arguments made by interests opposed to the adoption of Alternative Vote.
But the former Tory cabinet minister Douglas Hogg said Mr Brown had displayed not the "slightest interest" in electoral reform during 12 years in high office, claiming his interest only appeared when Labour began to drop in the polls.
The Conservatives also claimed that staging the referendum would cost £80m, arguing that the expenditure would be difficult to justify in the current financial climate.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brown-wins-big-commons-victory-for-vote-reform-1894554.html
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