English parliamentary boundary changes - anything interesting in your area?

[muriel_volestrangler]

https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jun/08/uk-electoral-officials-announce-biggest-shake-up-of-boundaries-in-decades

This didn't seem to get much news coverage when they were announced a few days ago - perhaps because this time they're not proposing cutting the number of seats overall*, so there aren't many MPs yelping that they could be out of a job and convincing their constituents to be angry on their behalf.

Under the proposals, my town of Chandlers Ford is set to go back in with neighbouring Eastleigh (where it was until about 30 years ago), which makes more sense than the slightly further Winchester (we're in Eastleigh Borough Council). It does move me from a marginal Tory seat (48.3% Tory to 46.6% Lib Dem, last election) to a safer Tory one - even with us in it.

*England gets 10 more seats overall; Scotland 2 fewer. These are due to population shifts. Wales is cut from 40 to 32, mainly because they had fewer electors per constituency than England or Scotland. But when the Welsh changes are announced in a few weeks, I'm sure Welsh MPs will be livid at how Wales is being oppressed.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Doesn't seem to affect my area much

I am close to the boundary between Oxford West and Abingdon, and Oxford East, and the previously proposed changes would have put me from the former into the latter, but the current ones don't.

I'm a little bit relieved. I would personally have ended up with a reasonable MP either way (Layla Moran vs Anneliese Dodds) but the previous proposals would very possibly have changed Oxfordshire's representation from 4 Tory MPs, 1 LibDem on the left of her party, 1 Labour to 5 Tory, 1 Labour. With good luck and good management, we are likely to stick with 'only' 4 Tory MPs under the current proposals.

[Emrys]

2. I don't suppose the loss of two Scottish seats will mean much

given how appallingly our MPs are treated in parliament.

I've no idea how the constituency boundary changes will work, but I doubt any will become more marginal.

[T_i_B]

3. The only change I've seen in my local area

Is that a traditionally rock solid Labour ward is moving from Sheffield Central to Sheffield Heeley, which will probably make Heeley more Labour and Sheffield Central more of a target for the Green Party.