THE Government has been accused of attempting to "bully" an independent

elections watchdog into scrapping ballot boxes in North Yorkshire.

During a heated Commons debate last night, the Tories claimed ministers

tried to browbeat the Electoral Commission into supporting all-postal voting

in local and European elections in Yorkshire and the Humber on June 10.

The Commission initially proposed the voting trial in two regions - the North East and East Midlands.

But ministers ignored the advice and announced plans to extend the pilot scheme to Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West - despite concerns about vote-rigging.

Conservative local government spokesman Nick Hawkins also accused ministers of "leaning on" returning officers into overcoming their scepticism for all-postal ballots.

He said: "We fear Labour has sought to intimidate returning officers into

changing their views."

His claim came as MPs voted by 308 to 185 - a majority of 123 - to overturn

a Lords proposal to carry out the pilot scheme in just two regions. Peers have called for the independent Electoral Commission to make the final decision.

Elections minister Chris Leslie said: "The House of Commons has made its

view known; it has repeated its view; the Lords must now back down on this

issue."

Updated: 10:27 Thursday, March 25, 2004