What the Boundary Review proposals mean for Southampton
13th September 2011
Alan Whitehead has raised concerns that the draft proposals from the Boundary Commission weakens the voice of cities like Southampton and misses a real opportunity to bring more of our city together.
Southampton currently has two seats that represent just city residents, and one seat (Romsey and Southampton North) where small parts of the city are linked to large parts of the neighbouring town and countryside.
Under the first draft of the Boundary Commission proposals published today, Southampton would effectively be split into 4, with only one seat representing exclusively city residents.
Alan Whitehead said:
"There was a clear political motivation by the Conservatives in pushing through this boundary review, and it is very concerning that the result across much of the country appears to be that city boundaries are not being taken into account.
"We know from years of experience that Southampton residents want to vote for Southampton MPs, irrespective of whichever party they support. There was a real opportunity for the Boundary Commission to bring more of Southampton together along the lines of the Democratic Audit analysis published earlier this year.
"Instead, under the current boundary review proposals, there would only be one truly Southampton seat, with a weaker and less easily comprehensible area-based identity for other seats covering our city.
"I'll continue working with residents to push for a stronger emphasis of clearly understandable city boundaries to be used when pulling together new Parliamentary constituencies."
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