And since Labour is expected to win the lion's share of constituency seats, it will not qualify for many top-up seats under the new system.

ECONOMIST: Labour in Wales

The party's share of the vote in the constituency seats dropped from 14.8 per cent in 2007 to 10.6 per cent in 2011 and they fared even worse on the regional vote, falling from 11.7 per cent to a paltry 8 per cent.

BBC: State of Play 3 - The Lib Dems

He said that the number of well-wishers who turned up outside the church in the prime minister's Co Durham constituency showed the ceremony was something people "wanted to share".

BBC: Blair's photo complaint defended

Some Lib Dems hint their party will not support the ongoing review of Commons constituency boundaries, which should give the Conservatives a greater share of seats, if they do not get their way.

ECONOMIST: Electing the Lords

Under the new law on constituency sizes, the Boundary Commission says Cornwall will inevitably have to share an MP with Devon in some form.

BBC: Boundary changes could impact Cornwall-Devon border

Under the new regional list system used for the Euro-elections, a party's haul of seats depends on its overall share of the vote rather than on whether it came first in a particular constituency.

ECONOMIST: The victor spurned