Details of the proposals to reduce the House of Commons from 650 MPs to 600 have been published. Additionally the changes attempt to make constituencies more consistent in size. Secretary for the Boundary Commission in England Sam Hartley said the number of constituents for each seat on the UK mainland ranged from about 55,000 to 90-95,000 and the review was an attempt to standardise that. The commission did not take political ramifications into account, but took an independent view, he stressed.
Currently, the biggest constituency is the Isle of Wight over 105,000 registered voters. At the other end of the scale several Scottish and Welsh constituencies have below 50,000 registered voters with the smallest, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, having c21,000. Under the proposals, with four exceptions, every seat in the UK will have no fewer than 71,031 and no more than 78,507 electors.
Labour, who are forecast to be the biggest seat 'losers' under the proposals, have declared the changes to be undemocratic, which is quite notable.
Jon Ashworth, the party's shadow minister, said: "Constitutional changes should be done fairly and consensually, to ensure that everyone is given a voice.
"There is nothing fair about redrawing boundaries with millions left out, and reducing the number of elected MPs while the unelected House of Lords continues to grow."
"These changes are not about fairness to voters, they are about what is best for the Tory Party and they must not go ahead. The commission must rethink and ensure that no elector loses out."
The Libs Dems aren't particularly happy either. "Tory claims that this process will lead to 'equal votes of equal value' are plain wrong," said a party spokesman. "This process will still leave a plethora of safe seats across the country, and millions of votes which don't count."
Locally, it is proposed to have one constituency that contains electors from Brighton and Hove, and East Sussex; it crosses the boundary on the south coast, combining the east of the City of Brighton and Hove with Newhaven and Seaford. It is also proposed to have one constituency that contains electors from East Sussex and Kent; it crosses the boundary at The Weald, combining the towns of Crowborough and Tenterden.
In West Sussex, one of the existing eight constituencies is unchanged and one is reconfigured slightly due to rewarding. A further five are changed only by the transfer of one ward.
Details of the South-East changes here: http://www.bce2018.org.uk/download_document?type=0&document_id=14172
Lots more here > http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37344525
Currently, the biggest constituency is the Isle of Wight over 105,000 registered voters. At the other end of the scale several Scottish and Welsh constituencies have below 50,000 registered voters with the smallest, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, having c21,000. Under the proposals, with four exceptions, every seat in the UK will have no fewer than 71,031 and no more than 78,507 electors.
Labour, who are forecast to be the biggest seat 'losers' under the proposals, have declared the changes to be undemocratic, which is quite notable.
Jon Ashworth, the party's shadow minister, said: "Constitutional changes should be done fairly and consensually, to ensure that everyone is given a voice.
"There is nothing fair about redrawing boundaries with millions left out, and reducing the number of elected MPs while the unelected House of Lords continues to grow."
"These changes are not about fairness to voters, they are about what is best for the Tory Party and they must not go ahead. The commission must rethink and ensure that no elector loses out."
The Libs Dems aren't particularly happy either. "Tory claims that this process will lead to 'equal votes of equal value' are plain wrong," said a party spokesman. "This process will still leave a plethora of safe seats across the country, and millions of votes which don't count."
Locally, it is proposed to have one constituency that contains electors from Brighton and Hove, and East Sussex; it crosses the boundary on the south coast, combining the east of the City of Brighton and Hove with Newhaven and Seaford. It is also proposed to have one constituency that contains electors from East Sussex and Kent; it crosses the boundary at The Weald, combining the towns of Crowborough and Tenterden.
In West Sussex, one of the existing eight constituencies is unchanged and one is reconfigured slightly due to rewarding. A further five are changed only by the transfer of one ward.
Details of the South-East changes here: http://www.bce2018.org.uk/download_document?type=0&document_id=14172
Lots more here > http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37344525
