Renfrewshire’s two MP’s have blasted the Boundary Commission for Scotland and their proposals to shake-up our parliamentary constituencies.
The two existing UK parliamentary constituencies of Paisley & Renfrewshire North and Paisley & Renfrewshire South would be split three ways and would be called Paisley, Renfrewshire West and Inverclyde & Erskine.
In the move, new Renfrewshire West would include Largs and Millport in the same parliamentary constituency as Johnstone. The Paisley constituency would incorporate Renfrew and areas of East Renfrewshire, such as Barrhead and Neilston. The new Inverclyde & Erskine constituency would include Erskine and Bishopton with Wemyss Bay.
Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP Mhairi Black has called on the UK Government to “scrap their completely unacceptable plans to slash Scotland’s representation at Westminster”.
Photo: Mhairi Black and Gavin Newlands were re-elected this year
Gavin Newlands, who represents Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said locals would be ‘dumbfounded’ with the new proposals.
The changes are part of the UK Parliament’s plan to reduce the number of constituencies from 650 to 600, with Scotland’s total cut from 59 to 53. They could be set in place for the next scheduled General Election expected in May 2022.
The electorate in the Paisley constituency would be 75,648, Renfrewshire West would be 71,422 and Inverclyde & Erskine would be 77,184.
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said: “Local people will be dumbfounded with these proposals which have been prepared by the Boundary Commission.
“This process – which has cost over £5million to date – proposes ripping up local communities, enlarging constituencies to ridiculous levels and making it harder for local people to engage directly with their MP.
“It’s clear that these recommendations have been proposed by an organisation that has no real knowledge of the communities that make up Renfrewshire.
“For example, local people will be deeply confused that Renfrew will be incorporated into a Paisley seat, losing its distinct identity and that Cumbrae will be incorporated into a seat with Johnstone and Elderslie.
“These proposals are based on the assumption that the Tories will reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600, resulting in Scotland losing 6 of its representatives at Westminster. As Brexit looms and the Tories continue their deeply damaging austerity agenda, we need more scrutiny at Westminster, not less. The Tories should abandon their desire to reduce the number of Scottish MPs at Westminster but in the meantime local people should submit a response to this new consultation, highlighting their anger over this ridiculous set of proposals.”
Mhairi Black, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South said: “I would call on the Tories to scrap their completely unacceptable plans to slash Scotland’s representation at Westminster. The proposal to reduce the number of Scottish MPs by ten percent is unacceptable. We have been told that we are an equal partner in the UK, but these proposals suggest otherwise. This would significantly weaken Scotland’s ability to defend our national interests.
“At a time when the whole country faces the huge threat of an extreme Tory Brexit, drastic changes to the boundaries of MP’s constituencies is the last thing the UK government should be wasting its time on.
“If the UK government is looking to reduce the cost of politics, the first priority must be abolishing the unelected, undemocratic House of Lords. This is a chamber with over 800 peers funded by the taxpayer and has zero accountability to voters.”