SNP big guns in trouble as seats are set to disappear
THE SNP’s Westminster leader and a sex scandal MP are among those facing a battle for their jobs after proposals to cut the number of Scots constituencies were published.
Ian Blackford’s seat will be merged with the constituency of business spokesman Drew Hendry under plans to be published today – meaning they could face a selection battle ahead of the next general election.
Nationalist MP Stewart Hosie, who separated from Health Secretary Shona Robison after being exposed for having an affair, could also face a fight after the review of boundaries proposed merging his Dundee East constituency with the Angus seat now held by the Tories.
The changes are part of plans to cut the number of Scottish MPs by six, to 53, and to reduce the number of UK seats from 650 to 600.
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s Islington North seat will cease to exist under the proposals by the Boundary Commission, while Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat faces being scrapped.
But opponents have questioned whether Theresa May will manage to get the shake-up of Britain’s political map through parliament.
Her fragile majority is reliant on the support of the Democratic Unionist Party, which has previously opposed the changes.
Lib Dem chief whip Alistair Carmichael said: ‘The DUP will not wear this review. Nor will many Tory backbenchers. The Government should stop wasting public funds and bow to the inevitable.’
The Boundary Commission for Scotland originally published proposals to make substantial changes last October. But it has now updated its plans after more than 2,000 people took part in a consultation exercise.
Only three Scottish constituencies – East Lothian, Orkney and Shetland and Western Isles – will be unchanged. A series of complex changes are proposed to the other 56 constituencies.
Mr Blackford, who became the SNP’s Westminster leader earlier this year after Angus Robertson lost his seat, is facing the prospect of a selection battle.
His Ross, Skye and Lochaber seat is to be merged with the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey seat held by Mr Hendry, who stood against him in the leadership contest, to create a Highland South seat.
Mr Hosie is also facing a battle to hold on to his Dundee East seat, which is to be merged with Angus, where the Tories had Kirstene Hair elected in June.
He has been relegated to the SNP’s backbenches after separating from Miss Robison last year following an affair with journalist Serena Cowdy, who had also previously had a relationship with SNP Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil.
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘This is the start of a consultation process that Labour will engage with. However, at a time of significant constitutional upheaval, it makes no sense to cut the number of MPs to hold the Government to account and represent the interest of their constituencies. Scottish Labour opposes any proposals to cut the number of Scottish MPs.’
Lord Matthews, deputy chairman of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, said: ‘After careful consideration of all of the comments received during the consultations, the commission has designed this revised set of constituencies.
‘Where the legislation has allowed, we have tried to respond to the views expressed.’
Under new rules, constituencies should be within 5 per cent of the UK electoral average of 74,769, with exceptions made when the constituency is larger than 12,000 square kilometres.
A fresh eight-week consultation will now begin, with final proposals to be submitted in September 2018.
‘Government should bow to inevitable’