THE British public delivered an “emphatic rejection” to the idea of changing the voting system, victorious campaigners have said.

More than two thirds of voters opted against switching the system for electing MPs to Alternative Vote (AV) in a referendum held on Thursday last week.

The national result was mirrored in Enfield, where 45,721 voted against a change compared with 23,521 who wanted to ditch the existing First Past The Post system.

Councillor Tom Waterhouse, who was the Tory referendum agent in Enfield and campaigned for No to AV, said: “Sixty eight per cent saying 'no' nationally was an emphatic rejection of the idea of changing our voting system.

“I think the arguments about the cost, complexity and unfairness of AV ultimately swung it for the No campaign.

“People know our current system well and don’t see a reason to change it.”

Turnout in Enfield was 35 per cent, below the national figure of 40 per cent but much higher than many had expected prior to the poll.

Dawn Barnes, spokesman for Enfield Lib Dems who had campaigned hard for a Yes vote, said the result was “disappointing” but was not necessarily the end of electoral reform in the long term.

She said: “We got a pretty clear answer to the question asked, which is obviously disappointing as I would have loved to see reform.

“I think the campaign, at ten weeks, was probably too short, and we could have done with longer to make more clear the differences between the two systems.

“I don't think people fully grasped what AV is, but I'm not sure this is the end. It is a bit of a blow and I can't see reform happening in this Parliament now.

“But we have got to pick ourselves up and continue campaigning for change.”

The referendum poll came with disastrous results across the country for Liberal Democrats in local elections.

Pressure is mounting on Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, but Ms Barnes said it would be “silly” for the party to ditch its leader now.

She said: “We have to take a long term view and show that coalition does work. I don't see any reason to change leaders on the back on this.”