SOUTHAMPTON Labour MP John Denham has backed calls for a radical shake-up of Britain's voting system.

He would like proportional representation to replace the current first-past-the-post method.

Mr Denham, who regained Southampton Itchen with a 9,302 majority at the general election last month, spoke out after Labour won power with just 36 per cent of the vote, yet received 55 per cent of Commons seats.

Under the UK's first-past-the-post voting system, a candidate simply has to win the most votes in their constituency, not a majority of the votes.

A PR system would aim to elect MPs using the share of the votes cast for each party. MPs would be selected from a list.

Mr Denham, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said: "I have been a long-term supporter of PR. It is right that people now look at the election and see how to change the voting system."

Labour's election manifesto promised to review the different election systems used in the European elections and polls for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.

It said there should be a referendum on any proposed changes to the voting system for Westminster elections.

But critics of PR claim the system is prone to hung Parliaments, which can lead to unstable government, and disproportionate power is given to minority parties, such as UKIP.

Furthermore, voters could not select hard-working local candidates because MPs would be selected from a list of party affiliates - spelling the end of 'awkward squad' backbenchers.