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Prescott postpones referendums until he can win them
22 Jul 2004
The Deputy Prime Minister has postponed referendums in two English regions amid government fears about how the public would vote in them. Speaking to the media today, John Prescott said that doubts had been raised over whether voters in the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions would accept his plan for regional assemblies.
"There would be little point going ahead and spending £3 million on setting up a referendum when we knew we would have to call it off later because of potential voting irregularities," Mr Prescott said. "It is much better to postpone it and call it again when these irregularities have been fully investigated and ironed out."
Mr Prescott went on to say that he was basing his decision on a recent dossier produced by the Electoral Commission in association with the Labour Party and Diet Coke, which suggested that only voters in the North East region would vote for his plan. Coincidentally the referendum in that region will still go ahead in November.
"We remain absolutely committed to referendums in these regions, but only when we know we will win them," he added. "In a democracy that's only right and proper."
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