ONE Bolton constituency could be abolished as part of the boundary changes currently being drawn up.

Bolton North East, represented by David Crausby since 1997, is one of 50 Parliamentary seats which could disappear at the next election, according to independent analysis of a major boundary review.

The formal process of dividing up the UK is not due to be completed by the four Boundary Commissions representing England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, until September.

But political research organisation Democratic Audit, based at the University of Liverpool, has produced a map based on the criteria set down for the official review.

There is no suggestion as to what would happen to Bolton North East, although the most likely solution was to combine the majority of it with Bolton South East.

Last night, Mr Crausby, who is the longest-serving of Bolton’s three Parliamentarians, said: “You can speculate on all the dozens of combinations, but it is difficult.

“I think Bolton North East as a name may disappear and the likelihood is the northern part would go into a neighbouring constituency and the southern part would join with Bolton South East and probably become Bolton East.”

The last boundary changes to affect Bolton were made before the last General Election in 2010.

This included the Bolton West constituency, won by sitting MP Julie Hilling last year, taking on Atherton from Wigan.

There were also major boundary changes to Bolton West in 1983 when part of its area went to create Bolton North East, but compensated by taking most of the former Westhoughton constituency.

Reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600, and redrawing the boundaries, was secured by the Conservatives as part of the deal to allow the Liberal Democrats a referendum on voting reform.

The map shows even numbers of seats being lost across the parties: 16 Conservative, 17 Labour, and 14 Liberal Democrats.

But for the Lib Dems that would represent 24.6 per cent of all the seats it won at last year’s General Election, compared to 5.2 per cent for the Tories, and 6.6 per cent Labour.