HARROW is preparing to go to the polls for a referendum on electoral reform.

The borough will vote tomorrow on whether to adopt the additional vote (AV) system, which sees voters rank their candidates in order of preference rather than marking a single 'X'.

The second preferences are apportioned out if no one on the ballot paper wins a full 50 per cent majority with first preferences.

This is done step by step starting with the candidate with the fewest votes and working upwards until a winner is found.

Gareth Thomas (Lab/Harrow West) has backed AV while Bob Blackman (Tory/Harrow East) says he will vote against the system.

Mr Thomas said: “I just think it will end the culture of safe seats. Everybody will have to work that little bit harder to get the votes of people who are not naturally suited to their political party.

“It's not going to be a huge change, instead of putting a cross you vote 1, 2, 3. We already have that in some votes in this country.”

Mr Blackman said: “The current system of First Past The Post (FPTP) has served us extremely well for a very long time indeed.

“From that perspective why change when we don't need to? Hardly anyone else uses AV and even the Australians who do are trying to get rid of it.

“Then there's the fundamental unfairness of it because it's perfectly possible for someone who finishes third place on first preferences to get elected – that isn't right.”

He also said the door would be thrown open for smaller, fringe groups to influence the positions of the main parties.

Mr Thomas hit back, saying the only party other than the Tories to fully oppose AV is the British National Party (BNP) who some Conservatives have said would benefit from the system.

The count will begin on Friday at around 4pm and the result is expected at around 7pm.