CALLS for people to use their vote tactically to keep out one party or another prove the need for radical reform of the electoral system, a senior Hampshire Liberal Democrat has said.

Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne, who is seeking re-election as MP for Eastleigh, spoke out after a Labour Cabinet minister hinted that people in the South should vote for whichever party in their area was most likely to stop the Tories winning tomorrow.

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Welsh Secretary Peter Hain appealed to undecided voters sympathetic to Liberal Democrat policies to lend their vote to Labour in key Labour/Conservative battlegrounds – such as Southampton Itchen and Test – to deny David Cameron a Parliamentary majority.

And, controversially, he signalled that Labour supporters in areas where the Lib Dems stand the best chance of defeating the Tories – such as Romsey & Southampton North and Eastleigh – might return the favour to keep David Cameron out of 10 Downing Street.

Mr Hain, calling on voters to “act intelligently”

under the first-past-the-post electoral system, said: “My ultimate aim is to get a Parliament which drives through political reform, with Labour in alliance with the Liberal Democrats and others. I think there’s a natural progressive majority in the next Parliament if voters vote to get it.”

He added that people should “vote with their heads, not their hearts” and recognise the “real fight” in their constituency.

Mr Huhne, who said he always asked Labour supporters to back him in the polls, said the minister’s comments revealed Labour’s “desperation”.

And he added: “One of the most negative things in our election system is people aren’t able to express the full preferences they want to express, and they end up voting against the things they fear rather than in favour of things they most want.”

Calling for a more proportional system, in which voters were asked to rank their candidates in order of preference rather than placing a cross next to single name, he said: “This way you will know that if your first preference can’t win, your vote will be transferred to another candidate. What people want is real change in the system, fundamental reform to give everyone a vote that counts.”

Meanwhile, Maria Hutchings, who is standing against Mr Huhne in Eastleigh for the Conservatives, warned anti-Labour voters against supporting the Lib Dems, saying: “People want change. They want David Cameron. If they vote for Liberal Democrats in Eastleigh they will wake up with Gordon Brown and that’s not what people want.”