MP numbers ‘will not be cut for 2022’

♦ The number of MPS in Parliament will not be cut to 600 by the next election because there is not enough support, a committee has warned.

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs committee said MPS do not back plans to redraw the boundaries to reflect population changes in the past 20 years.

The election in 2022 is likely to be fought using the same constituency map, after some MPS expressed concern that their party may be disadvantaged by the reform. The committee is calling for a Commons debate before summer, which would leave enough time to pass a law to cut the number of MPS. If the proposal fails, the committee said it would be too late to review boundaries for 2022.

An early vote would be a controversial move as Theresa May tries to steer Brexit legislation through the House and battles discord on her backbenches.

MPS are already due to vote in the autumn on new boundaries that would reduce the number of constituencies.