London - The British government was last night facing the loss of legislation on the voting system for next year's European elections after defiant peers inflicted a virtually unprecedented fourth defeat on ministers.
In a bitter battle of wills between the two houses, the Lords voted by 261 to 198, a majority of 63, for an "open list" system, which allows electors to vote for named candidates. MPs have already overturned three previous defeats and tried to push through the government's preferred option, the so-called "closed list" where electors vote only for parties.