Website leaks Wales’ boundary changes a day early – as number of Welsh MPs cut by eight to 32
What are claimed to be Wales’ boundary changes have been leaked a day earlier than expected by the Guido Fawkes website.
The new map shows Bangor and Caernarfon split into two separate constituencies, and Ceredigion combined with the north of Pembrokeshire.
In other notable changes included as part of the leaked map, part of the Neath constituency has been combined with what was previously Brecon and Radnorshire.
There are also changes to Cardiff South, the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend which could make what are currently two Conservative and one Labour seat more amenable to Labour.
The new constituencies are due to come into force at the next General Election expected to be in May 2024.
Despite Wales losing 20% of its representatives the number of MPs across the UK will stay the same, at 650.
England’s allocation of MPs will rise from 533 to 543, while the number of MPs in Scotland will be reduced from 59 to 57, and in Northern Ireland the figure will remain at 18.
As well as publishing its final proposals tomorrow, the Boundary Commission will open an 8-week consultation period where the public can share their views on the proposed constituencies.
Local ties
Under rules set out in the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (as amended) 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 has considered several factors in developing its proposals, as well as the statutory range of electors.
Geography (such as lakes, rivers, and mountains) has been an important consideration, they said, as has current boundaries such as local authority and ward boundaries. The Commission has also considered local ties, such as shared history and culture as it developed its initial proposals.
The full proposals will be published on the Boundary Commission for Wales website and consultation portal at midnight tomorrow. The consultation will open immediately upon the publication of the initial proposals and will close on 3 November.
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Gower also looks like a significantly changed seat. Currently it is a swing Labour/ Tory seat. The new seat looks as though a significant element of the Labour north will go and Tory elements from Swansea West will be added to the new constituency.
Thieves of democracy.
Absolutely delighted that N.Pembs (Cemais etc) is in with Ceredigion. Again. Like we were 1983-97. Culturally a match whereas N.Pembs and Pembs south of the Landsker don’t fit. Good chance of nationalist MP. Preseli a dead duck for a nationalist, sadly.
Bangor tossed into the Little englander fiefdom of Llandudno.
Such a backward move even if Bangor voted wholly Plaid or Labour they would be unlikely to secure a member beyond theTory sycophant voted in by the anglo retirees of West Shore, even linking Bangor to Ynys Mon would be more preferable but that would have influenced a swing seat, Time for Plaid Cymru to adopt an more muscular nationalism.
Interested to know how this will impact on Senedd constituents. Will we have 32 first past the post constituencies and 28 top up seats?
Senedd constituencies aren’t linked with Westminster’s any more, so nothing really.
Those constituencies will probably change but in a different way if the Senedd votes to expand themselves for the next election, which is pretty likely.
No, as control of boundaries for the Senedd is entirely devolved. The only question for the Senedd is whether we increase the membership to 80 or not.
I really hope Labour, Plaid and Lib Dems will reflect on what all these changes mean and will begin talks on forming a one-off ‘progressive alliance’ (in Wales and Lib-Lab in England) to win more seats, defeat the Tories (only way it could be done at next election by the look of it) and reverse their self-serving attacks on our democracy.
It’s no good, under the FPTP system, having the progressive vote split between 3 parties while the Tories hoover up the rest and are left to create more havoc. Please consider this carefully for the sake of democracy.
That will never happen. Plaid Cymru, like the SNP, don’t want to do those kind of pacts with the unionist parties because they have different priorities. As for the Labour party they don’t want to give that kind of recognition to ‘smaller’ parties.
I would like to see the end of all MPs in Wales.
I’d like to see the numbers of MSs increased to 80, and the number of councils returned to pre-1996 levels, with maximum devolution to each region.
Looks like a fair proposal – the balance being more Senedd members the maintain the number of public representatives.