DUDLEY North MP Ian Austin has lashed out over new boundary proposals that would see his constituency carved up in what he says is a “politically motivated fiddle”.

The Boundary Commission has today (Tuesday October 17) published its plans for new constituencies across the UK, aimed at reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600, and people have until December 11 to have a final say.

Sitting Labour MP Ian Austin, however, has branded the proposals for Dudley as a “complete dog’s breakfast” and he told the News: “They are proposing to put Gornal and Upper Gornal into two different seats, lump Kate’s Hill and part of Dudley town centre into a Sandwell seat stretching eight miles all the way to Bearwood and cut Brierley Hill in half.

“Whoever designed this has clearly got no clue about the geography of the Black Country.”

Dudley News:

The proposed new Dudley constituency - maps created by Ordnance Survey.

The Boundary Commission first published plans in September 2016 for the proposed new constituencies which aim to ensure the number of electors in each constituency is equal.

Commission chiefs say in formulating the latest proposals they have reflected on all the written comments received during two consultations, held last year and in spring this year, and Sam Hartley, secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said: “Based on what people have said to us, we have revised more than half of our initial proposals.

“The new map of the country is, we think, close to the best set of Parliamentary constituencies we can achieve, based on the rules to which we work and the evidence given to us by local citizens.

“But we still want people to tell us what they think of this latest map before we make our final recommendations to Parliament next year.”

Following this third and final consultation, Boundary Commissioners will consider the evidence submitted and make their final recommendations before submitting them to Parliament in September 2018.

If agreed by Parliament, the new constituencies will be in use at the next scheduled General Election in 2022.

To view maps outlining the latest proposals and to have your say go to www.bce2018.org.uk or to learn more about the 2018 Boundary Review watch the video below (courtesy of the Boundary Commission).

All public comments received during the first two consultations can also be seen by clicking the above web link.