AN East Lancashire MP's bid to ensure that any referendum to set up an elected North West Assembly should require at least half of voters to turn out has floundered in the Commons.

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice's Private Members Bill on the issue was talked out when it was unexpectedly debated at Westminster.

Government Minister Chris Leslie was on his feet when the day's session closed - effectively killing the Pendle back-bencher's Referendums Threshold Bill.

Afterwards Mr Prentice said he was disappointed but not surprised.

The proposal now goes to the back of the queue for Private Members Bills and has no chance of becoming law.

Under the plan any referendum, including those to create elected regional assemblies in the North West, the North East and Yorkshire and Humberside would have required 50 per cent of eligible electors to vote for the change to have effect.

Mr Prentice told the Commons: "This is a simple measure that would give the many referendums in the pipeline legitimacy.

"If we are going to have government by referendum we must ensure there is a proper turnout. The decision to call the referendums on regional government was taken after soundings of just 3,000 people - fewer than would fill the Albert Hall.

"If we are going to make a major constitutional change such as this we must have enough people voting to make it legitimate.

"We are going to have referendums on not just regional government but probably at some point the euro and indeed possibly the new European Constitution which many MPs on both sides of the chamber believe should have them.

"We need a proper threshold for such votes. We could also have a referendum on Scottish Independence if the Scottish National Party won power in the new Edinburgh Parliament.

"It would be appalling if Scotland were to choose independence by a single vote in a turnout where less than 45 per cent of the country voted.

"We do need a simple clear threshold for future referendums."

Mr Lesley said Mr Prentice's proposal was unnecessary red tape.

However, Mr Prentice is not alone in his concern.

The Conservative Party has expressed worry at the expense of a referendum given that so few people showed an interest in it.

And Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has called on the Government to ensure it only implements a regional assembly if there is a high turnout.