MOST of the region’s Labour MPs will snub their leader by urging voters to stick with first-past-the-post in the looming referendum on changing the Westminster voting system.

Just five of the party’s 15 MPs in this area are backing a switch to the alternative vote (AV) system – despite leader Ed Miliband’s firm support for the change.

Their stance will come as a blow to the “Yes to AV” campaign.

With the Conservatives fiercely opposed, a strong campaign by Labour is seen as crucial to victory in the referendum, on May 5.

It also raises fresh questions over support for Mr Miliband, who won the Labour leadership race by a whisker, with trade union votes. He hailed AV for promising a “transformation in political debate”.

The Northern Echo survey comes as polls suggest the referendum result is on a knifeedge – and as the campaign threatens to turn nasty.

The “No2AV” campaign has been referred to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), over fiercely-disputed claims that switching to AV would cost the country £250m.

Posters featured a sick baby, with the words: “She needs a new cardiac facility, NOT an alternative voting system” – suggesting the money should be spent on the NHS instead.

Among AV’s few supporters in the region are two new MPs, Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and Cleveland East) and Alex Cunningham (Stockton North), matching the pattern in other parts of the country.

However, other 2010 entrants – Jenny Chapman (Darlington), Pat Glass (Durham North West), Grahame Morris (Easington) and Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) – will vote no.

Even some ‘yes’ supporters appear lukewarm. Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) said: “There are many arguments for and against the AV system, but I am generally in favour of it.”

In contrast, Sir Stuart Bell chairman of the No campaign at Westminster, said: “It destroys mandate, because manifesto commitments are thrown overboard after an election.”

And Iain Wright (Hartlepool) was just as critical. He said: “It’s a complete waste of time and money, costing £250m when my constituents are more concerned about losing jobs and rising inflation.”

The AV system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the vote, the second preferences of the lowest-placed candidate are redistributed until someone clears the 50 per cent bar.

All Conservative MPs are believed to oppose AV, while Liberal Democrats hope it will be a stepping stone to a proportional voting system.