Proposals look to redraw electoral map
Sunderland’s political map could change under new proposals.
The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) has carried out a review of all Parliamentary constituencies and has made its final proposals to the Government.
If approved by Parliament, the proposals – which would see the number of North East seats reduced by four to 25 – include:
The creation of a new Houghton and Seaham constituency that would take in wards currently represented by both Bridget Phillipson, in Houghton and Sunderland South, and her Labour colleague Grahame Morris in Easington.
A new City of Durham and Easington constituency which would include Horden, Murton, Peterlee and Easington.
Sunderland Central, currently held by Labour’s Julie Elliott, remaining unchanged The Sandhill ward joining the Washington and Sunderland West constituency, currently served by Labour’s Sharon Hodgson.
The plans, however, have not gone down well with political figures.
Mr Morris said: “The Tories have cynically manipulated the process for their own electoral advantage excluding millions of people who registered for the last general election from the boundary review.
“It is estimated [by Electoral Calculus] that the new boundaries will give the Tories a 20 seat advantage over Labour with an equal vote share.
He added: “The boundary changes are a blatant attempt to gerrymander constituencies and create a Tory majority.”
Ms Phillipson was unavailable for comment.
However, Paul Edgeworth, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Houghton and Sunderland South said: “The proposals for Seaham and the surrounding communities to be represented by the same MP as Houghton and southern parts of Sunderland makes sense – but the naming of the constituency as ‘Houghton and Seaham’ is a bit of an insult to Doxford, Tunstall, Farrington, the Herringtons, Silksworth and Plains Farm who very much see themselves as Sunderland and not part of either Seaham or Houghton.”
The Government is seeking to reduce the number of constituencies in England from 533 to 501.
It wants every constituency to have an electorate that is no smaller than 71,031 and no larger than 78,507.
“A blatant attempt to gerrymander constituencies”
GRAHAME MORRIS