Major changes for local MPs as election boundary shake-up confirms new constituencies

Thursday, 29 June 2023 09:51

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

MPs David Morris, Cat Smith and Ben Wallace

A shake-up of electoral boundaries has been confirmed and means major changes for our local MPs at the next General Election.

The existing Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency has been scrapped under The Boundary Commission's nationwide review and a new Lancaster and Wyre constituency has been created - it was confirmed this week.

The constituency will include Garstang, Preesall, Great Eccleston, Hambleton and Stalmine, Calder, Wyresdale and Brock with Catterall, as well as the Lancaster areas of Bulk, Castle, Ellel, John O'Gaunt, Marsh, Skerton West and East, Scotforth West and East, and the University and Scotforth Rural.

Fleetwood will move into a new Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency.

Meanwhile a reshaped Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency will now include Arnside and Milnthorpe, Burton and Crooklands, Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale, as well as Bare, Bolton and Slyne, Carnforth and Millhead, Halton-with-Aughton, Harbour, Heysham North, Central and South, Kellet, Lower Lune Valley, Overton, Poulton, Silverdale, Torrisholme, Upper Lune Valley, Warton and Westgate.

The Morecambe and Lunesdale Parliamentary seat is currently held by the Conservatives, with David Morris as MP since 2010.

Lancaster and Fleetwood is held by Labour, with Cat Smith as MP since 2015.

Both Mr Morris and Ms Smith have said they will stand in the next General Election.

Ms Smith will contest the new Lancaster and Wyre seat.

Wyre and Preston North, which will no longer exist, is held by the Conservatives. Ben Wallace, who is also the Secretary of State for Defence, has been the MP since 2010.

A new Preston Borough constituency has been created.

The Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, a seat held by Liberal Democrat Tim Farron, will now extend to Milbum Forest, Temple Sowerby, the outskirts of Penrith up to the A66 and Hutton Roof, and will now include Kirkby Stephen, Appleby and Greystoke.

The final proposals were published on June 27.

Independent commissions in all four UK nations spent two and a half years reshaping some constituencies to try to ensure seats contain similar numbers of voters, reflecting population changes.

The recommendations are due to be approved without a vote by MPs.

Consultation on the revised proposals took place last year.

The full review can be found here.