Boundary change could hit Lib-Dems

The parliamentary seats of Oldham look set to remain unchanged but neighbouring Ashton could be ripped up, according to new research.

The Government wants parliamentary boundaries redrawn to equalise constituencies to about 75,000 voters reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

Lewis Baston, of Democratic Audit — a research group working from Liverpool University — has devised a model of the new map based on guidelines set out by the legislation behind the reforms. It suggests Oldham East and Saddleworth remain largely unchanged and favouring the Labour party which currently holds the seat.

Safe Labour seat Oldham West and Royton would take in swathes of neighbouring Ashton, which according to the research could disappear as it is currently known. Two other parliamentary seats across Greater Manchester would take in the Ashton constituency — a new Hyde and Denton seat and new Stalybridge and Ashton.

Mr Baston said: “The Lib-Dens are likely to lose out more than the other main parties because their seats are yellow islands in a sea of red and blue.

“Changing the boundaries is more likely to bring in hostile territories, their majorities tends to be smaller than Labour or Conservative MPs and the Lib-Dems trade a lot on incumbency and constituency service. That is disrupted by a boundary review.”

The map shows fairly even numbers of seats being lost across the parties — 16 Conservative, 17 Labour and 14 Liberal Democrats.

But given the Lib-Dems hold just 57 seats they will take the biggest hit in terms of numbers.

Oldham East and Saddleworth has 72,307 people registered to vote, Oldham West and Royton 72,066, and Ashton 67,657.