BOLTON MPs Yasmin Qureshi and Chris Green could face a fight for their parliamentary futures after new plans from the boundary commission were revealed.
The commission has today published its new constituency boundary proposals and this includes removing Ms Qureshi’s safe Bolton South East area.
Under the plans, which if agreed will be in place before the next general election, a new constituency called Farnworth will be created.
This will be made up of five Bolton wards — Farnworth, Harper Green, Hulton, Kearsley and Little Lever and Darcy Lever.
But it will also include three wards from the existing Bury South constituency — also set to be abolished — including Pilkington Park, Radcliffe North and Radcliffe West.
The new measures could leave Ms Qureshi, who has comfortably held Bolton South East since 2010, battling to be re-selected by the Labour party before the 2020 vote.
However, under existing party rules, if a new constituency contains 40 per cent or more of a previous constituency, that seat's MP is entitled to seek selection.
There are proposed changes too for Bolton’s two other parliamentary constituencies.
It is suggested that Bolton West — currently held by Conservative Chris Green — will be unchanged except for the inclusion of the central Bolton ward of Halliwell — the ward of Bolton’s Labour council leader Cliff Morris.
But this could spell trouble for the Tory MP as he has a slim 800 vote majority, which could be overturned by the solid Labour vote in Halliwell.
David Crausby’s Bolton North East seat will also remain largely the same under the new proposals, with the loss of Halliwell mitigated in his favour with the addition of the safe Labour wards of Rumworth and Great Lever, both currently within the South East boundary.
Across the country, the reforms would see the number of MPs cut from 533 to 501 in England, from 40 to 29 in Wales, from 59 to 53 in Scotland and from 18 to 17 in Northern Ireland — meaning an overall reduction of 50 seats in the UK.
A public consultation is now under way regarding the reforms, with final proposals due in October 2018.
If Parliament votes them through, the new electoral boundaries will be in place prior to the next general election in 2020.
To take part in the consultation, visit bce2018.org.uk
Proposed new Parliamentary constituencies:
Farnworth
Farnworth
Harper Green
Hulton
Kearsley
Little Lever and Darcy Lever
Pilkington Park (Bury)
Radcliffe North (Bury)
Radcliffe West (Bury)
Bolton North East
Astley Bridge
Bradshaw
Breightmet
Bromley Cross
Crompton
Great Lever
Rumworth
Tonge with the Haulgh
Bolton West
Halliwell
Heaton and Lostock
Horwich and Blackrod
Horwich North East
Smithills Bolton
Westhoughton North and Chew Moor
Westhoughton South
Atherton (Wigan)
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