Political boundaries could be changing at the next general election in 2020.
But how is Kirklees affected?
We have already revealed the proposal to switch Lindley from the Colne Valley to Huddersfield constituency.
But the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) has other plans for our politicians.
What’s the motivation for this?
The BCE was asked by the government to find a way to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 in a bid to save money.
Yorkshire and Humber is earmarked to lose four of its 54 MPs. Labour has urged Theresa May to drop the “radical redrawing of the electoral map” as it could affect up to 200 of the party’s seats.
So what’s changing in Kirklees?
The biggest change could see the Batley and Spen constituency split in two and re-named. Batley will join with Morley while Spen will take on some of the Bradford South constituency – which is being abolished.
The Colne Valley is set to lose Lindley to Huddersfield but in mitigation it will gain the Penistone West ward of Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
The Dewsbury constituency has only one minor tweak, having been re-drawn for the 2010 election to take Denby Dale and Kirkburton from Wakefield. Bizarrely, it is set to lose half of the village of Thurstonland to neighbouring Colne Valley.
Is Calderdale affected?
Yes – the boundary of the Halifax constituency is to move south to take in Brighouse, Elland and Rastrick.
What happens to MPs whose constituencies are abolished or radically changed?
It’s early days but it appears a re-selection process will take place. Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin may find herself in a battle to stand as the 2020 candidate in either the Spen constituency or the Batley and Morley constituency. Spen will be taking on the Wibsey and Wyke wards of Bradford South, so the current MP there, Labour’s Judith Cummins, could be a competitor.
Could this change the dynamics of any safe seats?
Hard to say definitively but moving mostly non-Labour voting Lindley into Huddersfield will affect the majority. But equally it could damage the Conservative majority in Colne Valley.
Batley and Morley is likely to become more marginal as it takes on Conservative voters in Morley and Outwood.
Spen is very unlikely to change as it merges with an already safe Labour area.
What happens now?
A second consultation is now open until March 27 and changes could be made with final proposals due in October 2018. To register a comment go to www.bce2018.org.uk
