Boundary changes keep the borough together

Plans to redraw the political map of Oldham in an attempt to reduce the number of MPs across the country would see everyone in the borough represented by two politicians not three — but the changes look unlikely to ever go-ahead.

There was outcry last year when the Boundary Commission published its first proposals to create only one seat with the name Oldham.

The new seat would be 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 Oldham West and Royton constituency. The remaining 75 per cent of Oldham West and Royton would be split into three of the newly drawn constituencies — Middleton, Rochdale South and Ashton Under Lyne.

The latest proposals bring all Oldham council wards into two seats, Oldham West and Oldham East and Saddleworth.

Failsworth and Hollinwood, currently under the parliamentary boundary of Ashton, move back into Oldham West under the proposals, and Royton moves into the Oldham East constituency.

But the changes may never happen: the Liberal Democrats have withdrawn their support as revenge for the demise of their Lords Reform hopes. David Cameron has vowed to hold a Commons vote.