Meriden and Knowle to become part of Coventry under boundary change plans

[dutchman]

The Telegraph understands the areas governed by Solihull Council will form part of the Coventry North West seat



Controversial boundary change plans could see Meriden and Knowle brought into Coventry, the Telegraph understands.

The Boundary Commission has been conducting a review of parliamentary seat boundaries in a bid to bring down the number of MPs.

Planned changes are set to be officially announced tomorrow, but sources in Westminster have already leaked some of the information to the Telegraph. There will be a period of public consultation on the plans before any changes are finalised.

It is understood Coventry North West, the seat held by Labour’s Geoffrey Robinson, will be the most dramatically hit with Knowle and Meriden set to move into the constituency.

The re-jig will also see some areas of Coventry North West moved into Coventry South - the seat occupied by Labour’s Jim Cunningham.

Interestingly, under Labour rules, Geoffrey Robinson could have a claim to be the candidate for Coventry South as a result of a large swathe of his constituency being moved into another. Coventry South would become a much safer Labour seat under the changes, while Coventry North West could easily be claimed by the Conservatives at the next election if the changes go ahead.

The changes would leave Coventry North West and Coventry South with approximately 77,000 voters each.

It is understood Coventry North East, held by Labour’s Colleen Fletcher, will be unaffected.

What would happen to the Meriden seat currently held by Tory Caroline Spelman is unclear, but it is thought it is likely to be scrapped under plans to reduce the number of West Midlands MPs by six to 53.

These plans do not impact on council boundaries.

[Melisandre]

Thats funny we all thought we were Brummies now did nt realise Coventry existed any more.

[dutchman]

Boundary changes branded "undemocratic and unacceptable" by Coventry MP



A Coventry MP has branded proposals to change Coventry’s parliamentary boundaries “unacceptable”.

Geoffrey Robinson , Labour MP for Coventry North West, will see his constituency affected greatest by the plans.

He has hit out at the proposals which he suggested were politically motivated.

He said: “The Tory proposals to redraw constituency boundaries are unfair, undemocratic and unacceptable. They are based on an out-of-date version of the electoral register with nearly two million voters missing.

“Constitutional changes should be done fairly and consensually, to ensure that everyone given a voice. That is not the case with these changes which are more about what is best for the Tory Party .

“These changes should not go ahead. We need to rethink and ensure that no elector loses out.”

Mr Robinson also argued that large numbers of the 700,000 people aged under-25 who registered to vote in the month ahead of the EU Referendum were not being represented in the review.

He said: “Tory claims of cutting the number of MPs to reduce the cost of politics also ring hollow, as the government estimates there would be a saving of £12million from the loss of 50 MPs.”

He added: “The Tories have further increased the cost of politics by adding over 250 peers to Lords since coming to power.

“Research by the House of Lords Library has put the cost of these extra peers at £34m – nearly three times the proposed savings for cutting MPs.”

At least I'm no longer living in his constituency!

[dutchman]

Coventry and Kenilworth should merge says Conservative leader



Coventry should be merged with Kenilworth under plans to redraw electoral boundaries according to the Conservative Party in the city.

The Tory group on Coventry City Council believes the Warwickshire town should be brought into the Coventry South constituency as part of planned MP boundary changes.

Earlier this year the Telegraph revealed that the Electoral Commission had drawn up plans to merge Coventry North West with Meriden as part of a national reshuffle designed to reduce the number of MPs in the county.

The plans would also see Kenilworth join Leamington in a new constituency while Warwick would join Stratford-upon-Avon.

The proposals, which do not affect council boundaries, are now out for public consultation which ends on Tuesday, December 5.

[rebbonk]

I disagree with Blundell on this one.

[Melisandre]

What so they can ruin it like they have done with Coventry.

[Melisandre]

This is just about parliamentary constituencies.

Yea that s what they will say is nt it

[dutchman]

Kenilworth Lib Dems oppose Tories’ idea to merge Kenilworth with Coventry

A Conservative-led idea to merge Kenilworth and the south of Coventry into one parliamentary constituency has been strongly opposed by the town’s Liberal Democrats.

Conservative county councillor for Kenilworth Alan Cockburn thought the two areas would be a ‘natural fit’ last week after Coventry’s Conservative group suggested it. He also said there was a ‘strong argument to be had’ about the two joining up and keeping the current constituency of Warwick and Leamington together.

But the Lib Dem councillor for Kenilworth Cllr John Whitehouse has refuted Cllr Cockburn’s idea, and believes many Kenilworth residents feel the same way.

He said: “Kenilworth people have always been sensitive about Coventry. Although you can argue it’s just an administrative decision and doesn’t mean anything - it really does.

“With HS2 and new housing developments coming to the north there would be a fear that we’ll lose that separateness from Coventry.”

Cllr Whitehouse added: “Ever since 1983 when the old constituency broke up, Kenilworth has been shunted round from pillar to post.

“When we were with Rugby the constituency was like a barbell shape with a thin gap in the middle - which was never a ‘natural fit’ if we’re using that jargon.

“Then when we went with Southam it wrapped right around Warwick and Leamington. Although Kenilworth was the largest town in the constituency the two parts had very little in common.

“Joining with Meriden was talked about in the coalition government but it was never brought forward.

“But when we looked at these new proposals we thought Kenilworth and Leamington might work. There are many links between the two towns.

“I think splitting up Warwick and Leamington is a price worth paying - I think if you got to shuffle the pack and that’s the end result I don’t think splitting is too bad.

“Drawing boundaries is not a perfect science but Kenilworth has always been an afterthought - why not put Kenilworth first?”

“I think Kenilworth and Leamington would be an interesting constituency. The Lib Dems have some strength in both towns but I think it would be quite interesting for all the main parties.

“Labour have strength in Leamington, so it could be a three-way battle.”

[dutchman]

Binley Woods to move into Nuneaton under boundary shake-up



Binley Woods would move into Nuneaton under plans unveiled by the Boundary Commission today.

Kenilworth is also set to be moved into Coventry as part of a shake up of parliamentary constituencies introduced in a bid to reduce the number of MPs nationally from 533 to 501. The other half of the existing Kenilworth and Southam constituency would move to join Rugby.

As a result, the number of seats in Coventry and Warwickshire will be reduced from nine to eight.

The proposals would create two newly named seats to replace existing ones - “Coventry and Kenilworth” and “Rugby and Southam”.

Controversial Boundary Commission plans previously published included merging Meriden with Coventry, dividing Warwick and Leamington, and slicing up Stratford . But those ideas have been shelved after negative feedback flooded in.

The new plans, which do not affect council boundaries, are now open for public consultation.

Three areas in Rugby borough would be brought into the Nuneaton constituency, currently held by Conservative Marcus Jones, under the plans.

They would be Revel and Binley Woods, Wolston and the Lawfords as well as Wolvey and Shilton.

The idea prompted a mixed reaction on social media with one reader saying “Is this some sort of a sick joke?”

Others labelled the decision “crazy” while Adam Russell said: “How? It’s not even close to Nuneaton? Should be either Rugby or Coventry.”

[Melisandre]

Is this so the EU can rule us easier after they rename Coventry or the West Midlands like they were planning to rename Devon under a French name also other areas in Britain.