City to lose one MP in shake-up
BIRMINGHAM is to lose one dedicated MP in a shake-up of the political map, it has been confirmed.
The number of MPs dedicated to Birmingham will fall from ten to nine.
But some Birmingham residents will find themselves represented by Black Country MPs.
There will also be new names for some constituencies – including a new Birmingham Kings Heath seat.
The Boundary Commission originally planned to create a constituency called Birmingham Brandwood but changed the name to Kings Heath when residents pointed out that people in Birmingham associate the name Brandwood with the cemetery.
A review of Parliamentary constituencies, cutting the total number of MPs in the House of Commons from 650 to 600, has come to an end.
And the Boundary Commission for England has confirmed that the number of seats in the West Midlands region will be cut from 59 to 53, a cut of six MPs.
It follows a consultation launched last year.
Many constituencies will cross local authority boundaries. It means that some MPs will find themselves dealing with authority.
However, 17,000 residents in the Handsworth Wood ward of Birmingham will be represented by the MP for West Bromwich, in the Black Country.
Another 17,000 residents in Birmingham’s Oscott ward will be part of a constituency called Walsall and Oscott, along with 54,000 Walsall residents. more than one local
Solihull will continue to have two MPs, representing constituencies called Solihull and Meriden.
Changes will only come into effect if they are approved by the House of Commons.
They may prove unpopular with MPs, because a cut in the number of seats will force MPs in many parts of the country to battle each other over who gets to be a candidate in the remaining constituencies.
However, cutting the number of MPs has been Conservative policy since before the 2010 general election.
Labour is likely to object most, because the changes are likely to mean Labour loses more seats than the Tories.
Some Labour MPs critical of Jeremy Corbyn also fear that the changes will be used as an excuse to begin reselection procedures, allowing activists who back the Labour leader to choose a new candidate more to their liking.
Cat Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow minister for voter engagement and youth affairs, said: “These final boundary recommendations are nothing but an undemocratic power grab by this Tory Government.
“With no plans to reduce the number of ministers, the Government is weakening the role of Parliament and creating unprecedented levels of executive dominance at the expense of backbenchers, when Parliament is meant to be taking back control.”
The new constituencies will not mean any change to postcodes or postal addresses.