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Boundary Commission to publish initial proposals for axing Welsh MPs

02 Sep 2021 3 minute read
Picture by on the left by the Senedd (CC BY 2.0). Westminster by Stevebidmead.

The Boundary Commission for Wales is set to publish its initial proposals for cutting the number of Welsh MPs.

It will reveal its plan for the new map of Parliamentary constituencies on 8 September, which follows confirmation earlier this year that Wales is to see a reduction from the current 40 constituencies to 32.

The new constituencies are due to come into force at the next general election.

Boundary reviews are also taking place in other parts of the UK. The number of MPs in England is set to increase by 10 to 543 , in Scotland it is set to be reduced by two to 57, while in Northern Ireland the number will remain the same at 18.

Pro-independence group YesCymru said previously that the change meant that Wales would have less of a voice at Westminster.

“And so Wales’ voice in Westminster is diminished to the point of inconsequence,” they said.

“The lie that there’s any form of parity amongst the Nations of these islands is finally put to bed.”

Plaid Cymru has said that “Wales will lose out more than any other nation in the UK as a result of this law – with our voice and representation diminished. Westminster just isn’t working for Wales.”

‘Consultation’ 

As well as publishing its proposals, the Commission will open an 8-week consultation period where the public can share their views on the proposed constituencies.

Under rules set out in the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986  each constituency proposed by the Boundary Commission for Wales must contain between 69,724 and 77,062 electors, with the exception of Ynys Môn, which is a protected constituency.

The Commission says it has considered several factors in developing its proposals, as well as the statutory range of electors.

It says geography such as lakes, rivers, and mountains has been an important consideration, as has current boundaries such as local authority and ward boundaries.

The Commission says it has also considered local ties, such as shared history and culture as it developed its initial proposals.

Secretary to the Boundary Commission for Wales, Shereen Williams MBE OStJ said, “We’re looking forward to publishing our initial proposals and receiving the public’s views on them.

“We will be proposing significant changes due to the reduction in the number of Welsh constituencies and that means that we’ll be relying on the public, who know their local area better than anyone, to send in their views.

“Our initial proposals will be the start of a conversation with the public about how the new map of Welsh constituencies should look. We want to build this map together, and we know that with your expertise, we can develop a map that meets the conditions set out in the Act, but also meets the expectations of the people of Wales.”

The proposals will be published on the Boundary Commission for Wales website and consultation portal at midnight on 8 September. The consultation will open immediately upon the publication of the initial proposals and will close on 3 November.


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hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

So what ! Cut the number to zero and we will be out of the unbalanced Union. Something to look forward to.

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

You are quite right – if we were just content to stay within the Union. However many of us have come to regard that Union as a negative influence on our lives. Life in the 21st century should NOT be about deferring to a bigger colonial partner power.

Agricola
Agricola
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

OK, Well you would struggle to get 25% of people to vote Yes in a referendum.

On this issue no-one is differing. This is Wales’ own boundary commission, run by a Welsh woman that offers democratic feedback from the electorate.

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

In 2019 the English majority for the Tories was 157 seats. A vote in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which have a total of 117 seats between them, made as much difference as a fart in a thunderstorm.
FPTP meant that the Lib Dems gain of 4.6% more votes resulted in two fewer seats. What definition of democracy are you using, feudal or totalitarian?

Agricola
Agricola
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

That is the same everwhere. Wales returned a far higher conservative proportion of votes than many English areas.

Many of which don’t have their own devolved level of governance.

In Westminster and Cardiff. Welsh voters resoundingly favour unionist parties.

So the UK government is closer to the preference of the Welsh people than any Nationalist line of thought.

The mentality and attitude on this site is a fringe way of thinking based on prejudice and personal opinion and reflects the outside world in no tangible way.

Richard
Richard
2 years ago

I find it difficult to understand the views of those in support of greater self determination seeing reduction in MPs.

European History , indeed recent colonial history offers few examples of those seeking their nations pathway to running their own affsirs supporting the maintenance of representation within the central or imperial representative governance model.

paul stephens
paul stephens
2 years ago

it will just add to the calls to leave the union as we don’t have a say as it is now, england decided on everything with no clue to what wales wants or looks like

Agricola
Agricola
2 years ago
Reply to  paul stephens

The Welsh Boundary Commission is doing it. You are allowed to make representation to them.

Why should Wales get more voters per area than anyone else?

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
2 years ago

This will make an UK Labour Prime Minister even less likely to happen, so all those Welsh Labour voters will have to decide whether to follow their Scottish counterparts, or accept permanent Tory governments, like the one doing such a brilliant job right now!

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

We don’t need or want most of them, we have the Senedd in which all power should and will reside.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Even with 40 Westminster MPs the only party that stood up for Wales interests was Plaid Cymru. Most Labour MPs would rather vote against or abstain on further devolution to save their cushy publically funded lifestyles in London than put Wales first. Self-servatives. The same can be said of the lying Liberals. I can remember all the promises the Liberal Democrates made to Wales about further devolution, but when in coalition with the devo-sceptic Tories did absolutely nothing but become drunk with power, to the point that besides betraying students on fees, were also party to implementing some of the… Read more »

Gaynor
Gaynor
2 years ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

And Welsh Labour MPs have aided and abetted this current state og affairs by voting against , abstaining or not even bothering to turn up at Westminster. Worst traitors than the Welsh Tories

Tomos ap Sion
Tomos ap Sion
2 years ago

Wales, the new Sudetenland.

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
2 years ago

I don’t know what the fuss is about.

When I was in school 40 times nothing was the same as 32 times nothing.

Mick Tems
Mick Tems
2 years ago

Cruelly slashing the number of Welsh MPs from 40 to 32 is despicably evil and will only boost the independence campaign. Wales is already vastly outnumbered by the likes of the Greater London interests.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

This is just the beginning, the Tories want to stay in power and make Wales a county of England. We all know there is only one way out.

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