PROPOSED new Parliamentary boundaries have left three East Lancashire MPs fighting for two seats at Westminster.

The review of House of Commons constituencies published yesterday recommends abolishing Pendle and heavily redrawing and renaming Ribble Vally and Hyndburn.

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As predicted in the Lancashire Telegraph last week, one of the area’s six ‘core’ seats is scheduled for abolition at the 2020 General Election along with a second in the west of the county.

Although nationally the changes benefit the Conservatives, the proposed East Lancashire map would cost the party one of its three seats and protect the three current Labour MPs.

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson and his Ribble Valley Tory colleague Nigel Evans condemned the changes and said the suggested new safe Labour Accrington seat carved out of the current Hyndburn with the addition of Padiham and parts of Burnley should be scrapped instead.

Sitting Labour MP Graham Jones has already made clear his determination to defend a Hyndburn-based constituency in the consultation which follows yesterday’s publication of the draft map by the Boundary Commission for England.

Mr Stephenson and Mr Evans said they hoped to save Pendle and Ribble Valley at the expense of the new Accrington seat. Mr Jones has previously said he would fight any such ‘ridiculous’ move to abolish a Hyndburn-based constituency.

Mr Evans and Mr Stephenson said they would seek the Conservative nomination for the safe new Clitheroe and Colne seat combining much of Ribble Valley with a large chunk of Pendle if the current plans are approved.

Yesterday’s report proposes the existing Blackburn constituency be enlarged with Fernhurst ward from a Rossendale and Darwen seat extending into Haslingden.

It proposes a new Burnley seat which gains Nelson. The new Accrington seat would include including Padiham. The controversial Clitheroe and Colne seat would lose Ribble Valley villages in the Trough of Bowland to a giant new North Lancashire constituency in return for several Pendle wards.

Mr Stephenson said: “I shall fight to retain the Pendle seat and believe it would be more sensible to abolish Hyndburn instead. I would put my name forward for a new Clitheroe and Colne constituency which includes 60 per cent of my current seat.” Mr Evans said: “These proposals are a mess.”“It is ridiculous to move villages such as Chatburn and Downham into a vast North Lancashire seat.“Rather than mess about with my seat and Pendle, they should look at Hyndburn.“In 2020 I would hope to represent the constituency which includes the majority of Ribble Valley.”

Mr Jones refused to be drawn on the Tories MPs threats but said:”Communities are disregarded and broken up. I will be voting against these proposals which have little regard for historic ties.”

Blackburn MP Kate Hollern said: “Should the proposals be approved I would welcome serving the people of Fernhurst.” Her Burnley Labour colleague Julie Cooper said: “I will be opposing these proposals because I want to prevent the break-up of Burnley.”

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry said: “I would be sad to see voters in Lower Darwen transferred into Blackburn constituency.” Chorley would remain unchanged.