Carved up!

UNDER threat ... Michael Meacher.

Meacher’s seat under threat in plan to tear apart Oldham’s political map

LABOUR veteran Michael Meacher faces having his seat scrapped in boundary changes that would tear apart Oldham’s political map.

Proposals to reduce the number of seats in Westminster would wipe out Oldham West and Royton — which the MP has represented for 40 years — and leave Oldhamers to be served by politicians in Ashton, Middleton and Rochdale.

Oldham’s MPs have blasted the shock proposals by the independent Boundary Commission, which is re-drawing constituencies to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600, and demanded a rethink.

Currently the borough is represented by three MPs covering the constituencies of Oldham East and Saddleworth, Oldham West and Royton and Ashton, which includes Failsworth and Hollinwood.

The changes would see Oldham represented by one main seat with three other seats across Greater Manchester incorporating the electorate of Oldham West and Royton and a small part of Oldham East and Saddleworth.

The new seat would be called Oldham and Saddleworth and would take in more than three-quarters of the current seat held by Debbie Abrahams and part of Michael Meacher’s seat would also move into that constituency. The remaining 75 per cent of Oldham West and Royton would be split into three of the newly drawn constituencies named, Middleton, Rochdale South and Ashton Under Lyne.

Mr Meacher, whose seat would disappear under the current proposals leaving the prospect of him fighting for another constituency or stepping down, said: “These are very radical proposals and they have caused massive shock across the country not just in the North West. We now need time to digest them and see what they mean as there seem to have been some very odd choices made.

“Oldham is a town of 220,000 people and to only have one main parliamentary constituency is extraordinary and takes away from the identity of the borough. Looking at the proposals the Ashton constituency would be made up of two-thirds of Oldham wards and would not actually include Ashton town centre which begs the question why is is called Ashton and not another Oldham seat.

“Royton is being split north and south and Chadderton is also being split. This just seems remarkable that someone would break up an area like this, especially given both Oldham constituencies as they currently are are within the five per cent threshold of 75,000 voters which government wants. I find these proposals extraordinary and will be looking at them carefully.”

Mrs Abrahams said: “I do have concerns about the boundary changes that are being proposed. Consistently across the North West they don’t seem to have taken into consideration natural community boundaries or community identity.

“And I understand from parliamentary colleagues that this is being replicated across England. There have been some quite bizarre configurations. Putting Shaw, Crompton and Royton North into a new South Rochdale constituency. Splitting up Chadderton – north and central into a new Middleton constituency and south into a new Ashton with Werneth, Medlock Vale and Hollinwood. Oldham East and Saddleworth loses Shaw and Crompton but gains more of Royton South and also Coldhurst and is set to become Oldham and Saddleworth. I will be urging them to think again.”

A 12-week consultation will now begin but once the final proposals are passed it will be a fight for seats as MPs apply to be the candidate for the new boundaries.

The 50 seats being lost are, seven from the North West, two from the East, two from East Midlands, five in London, three in the North East, one from the South East, two from the South West, five from West Midlands, and four from Yorkshire and the Humber. In addition Wales loses 10, Scotland seven and Northern Ireland two.

Big political hitters whose seats are under threat include Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Chancellor George Osborne and Shadow Home secretary Ed Balls.

If the current proposal are accepted experts believe nationally Labour would lose 20-25 seats, the Conservatives around 15 and the Liberal Democrats ten or more. Each constituency will have between 72,810 and 80,473 voters once changes are put in place.


Parts of Oldham included in each constituency
NEW CONSTITUENCY
ASHTON
Chadderton South

Failsworth East

Failsworth West

Hollinwood

Medlock Vale

Werneth



MIDDLETON
Chadderton Central

Chadderton North


OLDHAM and SADDLEWORTH
Alexandra

Coldhurst

Royton South

Saddleworth North

Saddleworth South

Saddleworth West and Lees

St James’

St Mary’s

Waterhead


ROCHDALE SOUTH
Crompton Oldham

Royton North Oldham

Shaw