MPS warn boundary reforms ‘threat to Scots’ democratic participation’
MPS from across the political divide have warned the proposed boundary reforms “threaten democratic participation” with Scotland set to lose two seats.
The Boundary Commission for Scotland has launched an eight-week public consultation on the proposals, which would see the number of MPS returned to Westminster go from 59 in previous votes to 57.
Alternations are to be made to boundaries across the country to ensure seats are roughly equal in terms of population and geographical size.
Now MPS have urged the Commission to think again, saying it is an attack on tradition and democracy.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross faces seeing his seat scrapped in favour of three new ones called Highland East and Elgin, Banff and Buchan, and Gordon and Moray South.
Mr Ross said: “While I have already saidi will not be fighting the Moray seat at the next election, as the current MP I can’t support the proposals to carve up the Moray constituency.
“It has been a huge honour to represent my home area as the local MP, but under these proposals, many historic local links would be lost and Moray’s identity diluted.
“The current seat works well as all the electors are within the Moray Council area and are represented by a single MP. Under these plans the same area would be represented by three MPS who would also be dealing with Highland or Aberdeenshire areas.
“The Boundary Commission need to go back to the drawing board and rethink these plans. I will be opposing them as I strongly believe the present Morays eat is the best option for the area and local residents.
“I know the Boundary Commissionhave a difficult job bu ti hope they will look again at their proposals and see that the correct decision is to maintain this long-standing seat.”
The proposals were also criticised by Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, who faces his seat being abolished in favour of one called Highland North.
He said: “When these proposals were first mooted in 2018 I described the resulting constituency in the far north of Scotland as ‘stark raving bonkers’. My position has not changed.
“Ultimately this proposal threatens democratic participation for people in the north of Scotland.”