Key proposals to change the way Scottish elections are run have been rejected or deflected by the British Government. The recommendations made by the Arbuthnott Commission included the introduction of the single transferable vote system for European elections and Scottish Parliament and council elections to be held on different days. Scottish secretary, Douglas Alexander, said: ‘There is not a strong enough case for changing the system for elections to the European Parliament.' On the matter of separate election days for Parliament and local authorities, the minister deflected the decision to the Scottish Parliament. There was a similar decision for suggested alignment between Scottish parliamentary constituencies and local authority areas. The minister said: ‘Any action will depend on the outcome of work being taken forward by the executive.' The commission, led by Sir John Arbuthnott, published its recommendations last January after an 18-month investigation into the four different voting systems for elections in Scotland, and the different boundaries for Holyrood and Westminster.
