Analysis: Forensic studying of new boundaries is going on

Boundary changes tend to engage politicians rather more than voters - for good reason.

Reshaping the Parliamentary map inevitably triggers a forensic analysis by all party officials to consider whether the new boundaries will enhance or damage their prospects.

In the case of west Kent, the decision to axe Faversham and Mid Kent will see what is currently a safe Conservative seat disappear and the electorate dispersed in different directions: Faversham becomes attached to a constituency to be called Canterbury and Faversham, which could be argued will work in Labour’s favour. Other parts of the seat go to Maidstone.

Tonbridge loses Malling but will take some wards from Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks and given the current size of the Conservative majority ought not to trouble the sit- ting MP Tom Tugendhat.

One interesting part of the shake up is the creation of a constituency that crosses into East Sussex. The Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough seat incorporates six wards from the adjoining county. Perhaps the most intriguing changes are to the east of the county, with reconfigured constituencies in Thanet: a new East Thanet seat loses Sandwich to Dover and will cover Ramsgate and Margate - changes that may tilt it towards Labour.

As with all reorganisations of boundaries, the ultimate test will of course be the results at the election. Boris Johnson has been told to grow up by a Kent Conservative MP after the former Foreign Secretary compared the government’s Brexit plan to a suicide vest.

Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, took Mr Johnson to task.

He recalled his own experience while serving in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber had detonated a device in the courtyard of the office in Helmand where he was stationed.

He tweeted: “A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain.

Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isn’t funny.”