West and central London residents mirrored the rest of the country in voting to keep the first-past-the-post system in last week's referendum on constitutional change.

After fears London turn-outs would be as low as 20 per cent, all three councils – Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster – topped 30 per cent, with H&F coming on top with 37.8 per cent.

Conservatives there hailed the result, which saw over 24,000 residents voting to keep the current system, compared to just under 17,000 who wanted to switch to the Alternative Vote.

Tory press officer and councillor Andrew Johnson said: "We are absolutely delighted the majority of our residents who voted in the referendum agreed with us to reject AV and retain first past the post.

"Throughout the campaign we worked tirelessly to ensure a strong result for the 'No' campaign and the outcome of the vote shows we were right to do so."

Labour MP Andy Slaughter, who campaigned for change, blamed the result on the unpopularity of the Liberal Democrats.

He said: "With hindsight, this was inevitable. The Liberal Democrats are so unpopular and with Labour split and the Tories voting for 'no' it was always going to be difficult.

"But I don't think the referendum was the priority for most people out of London because of the local elections."

Westminster North colleague Karen Buck accused the Conservatives of mounting a 'vicious' and 'self-promoted campaign to promote the 'no' vote.

She said: "The coalition government promised a 'new politics' but this promise evaporated as big money and a vicious personal campaign helped deliver a vote against a modest modernising measure in our electoral system.

"There should be no mistake- the 'no' vote, a cut in the number of Parliamentary constituencies and new election boundaries are self-interested policies intended to load the odds in favour of the Conservatives."

THE RESULTS:

Westminster:

Turnout: 31.53%

Yes: 15,279

No: 24,805

Rejected ballots: 123

Kensington and Chelsea:

Turnout: 34.4 per cent

Yes: 9,696

No: 20,332

Rejected: 53

Hammersmith and Fulham:

Turnout: 37.8 per cent

Yes: 16,889

No:24,380

Rejected: 132