A PROTEST has been organised to prevent Leigh Town Hall being moved into Westhoughton as part of the shake-up of Parliamentary boundaries.

People are being urged to back the Keep Leigh in Leigh campaign at a public rally on Saturday.

It will take place at Leigh Town Hall from 11.30am.

The planned new Leigh constituency includes Irlam and Walkden, as well as most of Leigh.

But Leigh West will become part of the new Westhoughton constituency, which will be made up of Horwich and Blackrod, Westhoughton North and Chew Moor, Westhoughton South, Atherleigh, Atherton, Hindley and Hindley Green — including Leigh Town Hall.

The Boundary Commission was asked by the Government to cut the number of MPs in England and increase the size of constituencies.

With 77,100 voters, the Leigh constituency was already well within the recommended range and did not need to change.

Keep Leigh in Leigh is a community campaign being headed by Trevor Barton MBE.

It has already attracted the support of a range of voluntary and community organisations.

Mr Barton said: “If this plan goes ahead, Leigh’s identity and its voice in Parliament will be severely weakened. We will be scattered to the fringes of three constituencies. It’s as if we don’t exist or don’t matter.

“I hope as many people as possible will come down on Saturday. We’ve only got a few weeks to register our objections and we need to send the loudest message possible to the Commission.”

Leigh MP Andy Burnham has also blasted the proposed changes.