by Gerry Warren
gwarren@thekmgroup

One of the Conservative party’s leading figures was in Faversham on Tuesday to lend political weight to the 'vote no to AV’ campaign.

Baroness Warsi, who is party co-chairman and a regular on BBC Question Time, met members of the Faversham branch of Swale Conservative Association.

She joined them on a stall in Market Square where they were canvassing shoppers and trying to persuade them to keep the first past the post system in the referendum on May 5.

The politician has been touring Kent to support Conservative candidates in the local elections but says she is 'hugely passionate’ that the existing voting system remains.

She said: “First past the post is simple and has served us well for generations.

“We don’t need a complicated new system that people don’t understand and will put even more of them off voting.

“In Australia, for example, where they introduced AV, voting numbers dropped so much that they had to make it compulsory.

“No system is perfect but the alternative vote is not a fix. I would be devastated if it was introduced.”

Local Liberal Democrats have previously campaigned in the town for the AV system, saying it is fairer.