Boundary changes ‘outrageous’ attack on democracy
Ian Blackford MP has hit out at Westminster plans that would split Lochaber into two UK parliamentary constituencies after the Boundary Commission’s final boundary recommendations were submitted to the UK Government last week.
The SNP Westminster leader, who submitted objections to the plans during consultations and raised concerns in Parliament at the time, said the proposals showed an ‘utter contempt’ for the practicalities of life in the Highlands and islands.
He continued: ‘It is more proof, as if it was needed, that a London-centric thought process simply doesn’t cater for the way our lives are in Scotland, and particularly the Highlands.’
The changes, which require the backing of MPs and peers to come into effect, would see Fort William and Ardnamurchan join Argyll and Bute to form a new constituency called Argyll, Bute and South West Highland, while Spean Bridge, Glenfinnan and Mallaig would merge with Skye, Badenoch and Inverness to form a new Highland Central constituency.
The changes would see the overall number of Highlands and islands’ representatives cut from four to three, with those seats becoming the largest constituencies in the country, forming 45 per cent of the area covered by the boundary review of Scotland.
Despite widespread criticism of the plans, the Boundary Commission for Scotland said it was unable to make changes because of the ratio between the number of electors and the low population density of the areas in question, which they said meant large constituencies ‘could not be avoided’.
Mr Blackford continued: ‘My constituency, Ross, Skye and Lochaber, is already 12,000 square kilometres. It is 15 per cent of the land mass of Scotland. Contrast that with Northern Ireland, which has a land mass of just over 14,000 square kilometres, you can see that the current situation in itself is bad enough.
‘But to then make those areas even larger, where you’re getting to a situation where three Highlands and islands MPs are covering an area larger than Belgium, then you really are getting into a situation that is beyond all reproach.’
Mr Blackford claimed the Conservative government was ‘railroading’ these boundary changes through parliament merely for the party’s own political gains.
‘It’s an outrageous attack on Scottish and Highland democracy and really does add insult to the injury of the recent power grab that we’re seeing through the Tory-led Brexit disaster,’ he added.
The new constituency of Argyll, Bute and South West Highlands would cover two different council areas, Argyll and Bute and Highland Council.
Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O’Hara said that ‘geography, topography, history or access to elected representatives’ had been totally overlooked in what he called a ‘crude numbers game’ where the equalisation of parliamentary constituency by population was the overriding factor.
He added: ‘I always believed that elected representatives should be as close to their communities as they can possibly be. I just wish the Boundary Commission had prioritised people’s right to equal representation as much as they prioritised equalising the numbers.’