Major revisions to Parliamentary constituency boundary plans

Major changes have been made to plans to redraw the Parliamentary constituency boundaries in Yorkshire and across the country.
Picture: PA.Picture: PA.
Picture: PA.

Major changes have been made to plans to redraw the Parliamentary constituency boundaries in Yorkshire and across the country.

The Boundary Commission for England has today released revised maps after it revealed in September last year that the number of MPs across Yorkshire would be reduced from 54 to 50.

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While that figure stays the same, 31 constituencies have been revised from the previous proposals. Nineteen have not been revised, however, and eight constituencies would be the same as they are under the existing arrangements.

In Bradford and Sheffield, the Commission has decided to move away from its initial plans and revised the composition of seven constituencies.

One of the most striking changes proposed last year – the disappearance of the Penistone and Stocksbridge for a new Sheffield Hallam and Stocksbridge constituency – has been altered.

In the new plans, Sheffield Hallam would stay while there would be a Barnsley West and Stocksbridge constituency.

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Sam​ ​Hartley,​ ​Secretary​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Boundary​ ​Commission​ ​for​ ​England,​ ​said: “​Based​ ​on​ ​what​ ​people​ ​have​ ​said​ ​to​ ​us,​ ​we​ ​have revised​ ​more​ ​than​ ​half​ ​of​ ​our​ ​initial​ ​proposals.​”

Elsewhere, Jeremy Corbyn’s constituency remains under threat as the Labour leader’s Islington North seat would cease to exist under the proposals.

The review of boundaries is aimed at reducing the number of MPs to 600, representing broadly similar-sized electorates.

But the proposals appear unlikely to be approved by Parliament after Theresa May lost the Conservative majority in the Commons as the plans would face stiff opposition from other major parties and disgruntled Tories who stand to lose their seats.

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The Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs Mrs May relies on to have a majority in the Commons, are also seen as unlikely to support moves which could see their representation cut.

Liberal Democrat chief whip Alistair Carmichael urged the Government to pull the plug on the process, claiming it would take a “miracle” for the plans to be approved by Parliament

Final proposals will be submitted to Parliament in September 2018 and if agreed, the new constituencies would be in use at the next scheduled general election in 2022.