Boundary change plan slammed

Dog’s breakfast revamp ‘unworkable’ — Meacher
THE parliamentary constituency of Oldham West and Royton, which could be wiped off the political map, already has the required number of voters government wants.

The coalition wants to equalise constituency populations to within 5 per cent of 75,000 and therefore reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

Oldham West and Royton has 72,402 people registered to vote but yet faces being disbanded under the radical proposals outlined earlier this month by the independent Boundary Commission.

MPs from all parties have hit out at the changes and claimed they break down communities and strip areas of their existing identities.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher believes there is “serious doubt” over whether the boundary proposals will be approved by Parliament.

He said: “Many of the new constituencies proposed are simply unworkable.

They have no central focus and have clearly been spatchcocked together to get the numbers right irrespective of any other considerations.

“It simply shows what a dog’s breakfast results when a balancing of relevant criteria goes out of the window.

“Of course it is important that all constituencies should have an equal number of electors so far as reasonably practicable, as has always been the case, but it is that vital latter caveat — so far as reasonably practicable — which has been ignored this time round.

“The three criteria which the Boundary Commission has said it will consider for any revision of its proposals are crossing local authority boundaries, the degree of break-up of existing constituencies and the breaking of local community ties.

“On that basis probably a majority of all these new constituency proposals should be up for reconsideration.

“I should make an admission of personal interest here since my own constituency is being completely dismembered and is being redistributed into four other constituencies, leaving Oldham in terms of its national representation without any single or main reference point at all.

“That cannot make sense, especially since Oldham West was already within the limit for the required number of electors.”

The new seat would be called Oldham and Saddleworth and would take in more than three-quarters of the current Oldham East and Saddleworth 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.

A 12-week consultation on the proposals is currently under way.