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Wales’ political parties suggest alternative Westminster constituencies as axe falls on number of Welsh MPs

17 Dec 2021 3 minute read
Plaid Cymru’s suggestions (left) and the Welsh Conservative’s (right)

Wales’ political parties have suggested their own Westminster constituencies for Wales after the Boundary Commission held a consultation period on their own proposals for how Wales would look after eight seats were cut.

Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives submitted their own maps of how they’d like Wales’ new constituencies to look, including changes that would benefit both parties.

Labour also called for changes to some constituencies as part of the consultation, and the Liberal Democrats called for “significant reconfiguration” to 12 of the 32 new seats.

The changes to Wales’ boundaries come as the country is due to lose eight MPs, reducing the number of representatives at Westminser from 40 to 32 by the next General Election.

That was decided by Westminster, and the Commission is unable to affect this decision – however, the public, parties and other organisations were asked what they thought of the shape of the new constituencies. All the responses have now been published here.

Wales’ preliminary new boundaries

The biggest change requested by Plaid Cymru is in the north-west where they object to much of the current seat of Arfon becoming part of a more solidly Conservative seat including much of Conwy.

The Conservatives meanwhile suggest a number of changes to the swing Labour-Tory seats in the north-east and oppose changes that would see part of the current Conservative constituency of Bridgend, Porthcawl, included with Port Talbot.

Labour have mainly requested changes around Swansea and the new Ceredigion Preseli and Pembrokeshire seat. The Liberal Democrats also want changes around Swansea and also to seats in Powys.

‘Big impact’

The Boundary Commission said that they received a record 1211 representations during the Initial Consultation Period, approximately three times the number received during the equivalent consultation period in the last (2018) review.

Representations were received from every existing constituency in Wales, with the highest numbers coming from the current Arfon, Ceredigion, and Caerphilly constituencies.

The consultation opened on 8 September 2021 and closed on 3 November 2021 with respondents able to contribute via an online consultation portal, through email, or in the post.

Many respondents were opposed to the proposals, with many making comments on the reduction in the number of MPs in Wales – “over which the Commission has no control,” they said. Others however commented that they were supportive of the proposals for their area.

Approximately 20% of respondents submitted counter-proposals. 19 of the current 40 Welsh MPs submitted their views, along with 7 of the 60 Members of the Senedd.

A spokesperson for the Boundary Commission for Wales said: “We’d like to take this opportunity once again to thank everyone who submitted their views during the initial consultation period.

“We’re currently considering the representations we’ve received, and they will have a big impact as we develop our Revised Proposals.

“We’re looking forward now to our second consultation period, which opens on 11 January, where you will have the opportunity to make comments on the representations that were sent in during the initial consultation.”

The Commission’s second consultation period opens on 11 January and lasts for 6 weeks and gives the public the opportunity to make comments upon the representations already received.

During this period, the Commission will also hold 5 Public Hearings in Aberystwyth (13 Jan), Bangor (19 Jan), Wrexham (3 Feb), Swansea (10 Feb), and Cardiff (17 Feb), where the public can submit their views in person.

Those wishing to speak at the Public Hearings are asked to email the Commission at [email protected] as soon as possible to book a slot.


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17 Comments
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Hogyn y Gogledd
Hogyn y Gogledd
2 years ago

Best solution would be for Wales to send no MPs to Westminster.

Arwyn
Arwyn
2 years ago

Cant a chant!

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
2 years ago

Exactly! 32 times nothing is is the same as 40 times nothing.

Ernie The Smallholder
Ernie The Smallholder
2 years ago

When we are fully independent, that is…

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

What is the point of wastemonster to Wales anymore? It has just made itself way less relevant to our country through its own despicable arrogance.

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
2 years ago

Interesting that Plaid Cymru is getting agitated over Westminster.

Perhaps their energies would be better spent getting on with preparations for next May’s local elections.

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago
Reply to  Dr John Ball

Maybe this is preparation and they are putting this stuff out their early so it sticks in people’s heads.

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
2 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

Really? Does this mean that here in Swansea P C will be putting up more than the six last time – seventy two seats are available by the way.

Richard
Richard
2 years ago
Reply to  Dr John Ball

Why not have a go john ?

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
2 years ago
Reply to  Richard

I was a city councillor, Plaid Cymru’s first in Swansea, elected with 48% of the vote. I’ve done my bit.

Richard
Richard
2 years ago
Reply to  Dr John Ball

I recall John. I too was a Clwyd County and Rhuddlan Borough member elected with 82 per cent and without party . The folk of Abertawe were lucky to have someone with your skill set and analytical mind. My wife got her way after 33 years ..😱

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
2 years ago
Reply to  Richard

Thank you for your kind words.

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago

Gerrymandering by the Tories

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago

Doesn’t affect me as I no longer have a vote since I refuse to carry an Ausweis. I do carry proof of three Covid jabs but they can get stuffed if they think I am buying into their Enabling Acts.

Dyfi Dreamer
Dyfi Dreamer
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

Nice one Kerry, you’ve veiled your antisemitism pretty well there.

SundanceKid
SundanceKid
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

No one cares whether you have the vaccine or not Kerry. Please stop trying to hijack this comment section with your irrelevant personal agenda 🙄

Richard
Richard
2 years ago

Who cares 🙄
the parties need to turn their thoughts to important issues – not how many there are of them.

i don’t recall history telling us on colonial withdrawal that the emerging nations argued about the transitional arrangements of how many reps they would have.

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