Mixed reaction to plans for constituency boundary changes in East Lancashire

3:41pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter

A ‘FURIOUS’ MP has hit out at plans to re-draw parliamentary boundaries in East Lancashire — splitting Hyndburn into three new Commons seats.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones has vowed to fight the plans he claims are a Tory attempt to ‘gerrymander’ a victory at the next General Election.

Revised proposals from the Boundary Commission, which will affect all of England and Wales, would see the Hyndburn seat wiped from the map, with parts moving to Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Burnley. Blackburn would remain largely the same while Darwen would be joined with part of Bolton.

New constituencies of Bolton North and Darwen, Burnley and Accrington East and Rossendale and Oswaldtwistle would be created.

Labour’s Mr Jones said: “I am appalled that Hyndburn is being carved up in this way. It’s ridiculous. The people of Hyndburn deserve one MP to represent them not being pushed into three separate seats.

“This is just Tory gerrymandering to try and fiddle a win at the next election.

“I shall be joining the Liberal Democrats in opposing attempts to bring these new boundaries in for the next election in 2015.”

Initial proposals, first revealed in September last year, have been drastically rethought.

Those proposals would have seen three East Lancashire constituencies – Hyndburn, Rossendale and Darwen, and Pendle – wiped off the political map.

But after a year-long consultation period major changes have been revealed. The proposals will now go to Parliament for approval.

Darwen and Rossendale MP Jake Berry has given a cautious welcome to the new boundary proposals for his constituency, saying they are immeasurably better than previous plans which would have created two Labour seats out of a Tory/Labour marginal.

Darwen goes in with posh parts of Bolton while Rossendale Borough is pushed in with parts of Hyndburn leaving both winnable for the Tories.

Mr Berry said: “It has always been my view that the best thing for Darwen and Rossendale would be to remain the same as there is a natural link between the two areas having been together electorally speaking for 28 years.

“I gave evidence to the boundary commission saying that it was frankly bizarre to split Darwen from Lower Darwen and I am sorry they have not seen sense. Everyone I have spoken to in Lower Darwen is horrified to be going in with Blackburn and frankly I don’t blame them.

“Putting Darwen with North Bolton makes more sense than the previous proposals, here in Darwen we often look to Bolton and Manchester for both shopping and to work. A link with North Bolton makes more sense than one with Accrington and I am glad the commission has listened to my arguments in this area.”

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: “I’m delighted that that the boundary commission have listened to my appeal and the call of my constituents to keep Ribble Valley intact. Longridge, Chipping and Ribchester are back in the constituency, so three cheers for that. I’m really, really pleased.”

He added: “I think it’s 50/50 whether it happens or not. If the Lib Dems don’t support it, then it’s not going anywhere. However, some other deal may be able to be done.”

Chief executive of the East Lancs Chamber of Commerce Mike Damms said: “I think generally business people won’t take a view on the number of MPs representing an area, but they will want that MP to be local enough to understand the area. East Lancashire has always been a little difficult politically as places like Darwen and Rossendale do not fit well together as economies.”

Under the plans – likely to be vetoed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats, delaying them till at least the 2020 poll – Pendle is virtually recreated with a bit of Burnley.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle is planning to fight Burnley and Accrington East if the proposals became a reality and promised to join Mr Jones in opposing them.

The new-look constituencies

Blackburn

Audley
Bastwell
Beardwood with Lammack
Corporation Park
Ewood
Fernhurst
Higher Croft
Little Harwood
Livesey with Pleasington
Meadowhead
Mill Hill
Queen's Park
Roe Lee
Shadsworth with Whitebirk
Shear Brow
Wensley Fold

Bolton North and Darwen

Earcroft
East Rural
Marsh House
North Turton with Tockholes
Sudell
Sunnyhurst
Whitehall
Astley Bridge
Bradshaw
Bromley Cross
Crompton
Tonge with the Haulgh

Burnley and Accrington East

Bank Hall
Brunshaw
Coal Clough with Deerplay
Daneshouse with Stoneyholme
Gannow
Gawthorpe
Hapton with Park
Lanehead
Queensgate
Rosegrove with Lowerhouse
Rosehill with Burnley Wood
Trinity
Whittlefield with Ightenhill
Barnfield
Baxenden
Huncoat
Milnshaw
Peel
Spring Hill

Pendle

Briercliffe
Cliviger with Worsthorne
Barrowford
Blacko and Higherford
Boulsworth
Bradley
Brierfield
Clover Hill
Coates
Craven
Earby
Foulridge
Higham and Pendleside
Horsfield
Marsden
Old Laund Booth
Reedley
Southfield
Vivary Bridge
Walverden
Waterside
Whitefield

Ribble Valley

Netherton
Overton
Rishton
Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley
Alston and Hothersall
Billington and Old Langho
Bowland, Newton and Slaidburn
Chatburn
Chipping
Clayton-le-Dale with Ramsgreave
Derby and Thornley
Dilworth
Edisford and Low Moor
Gisburn, Rimington
Langho
Littlemoor
Mellor
Primrose
Read and Simonstone
Ribchester
Sabden
St Mary's
Salthill
Waddington and West Bradford
Whalley
Wilpshire
Wiswell and Pendleton
Bamber Bridge East
Bamber Bridge North
Bamber Bridge West
Coupe Green and Gregson Lane
Samlesbury and Walton
Walton-le-Dale

Rossendale and Oswaldtwistle

Altham
Central
Church
Clayton-le-Moors
Immanuel
St Andrew's
St Oswald's
Cribden
Facit and Shawforth
Eden
Goodshaw
Greenfield
Greensclough
Hareholme
Healey and Whitworth
Helmshore
Irwell
Longholme
Stacksteads
Whitewell
Worsley

Chorley

Adlington and Anderton
Astley and Buckshaw
Brindle and Hoghton
Chisnall
Chorley East
Chorley North East
Chorley North West
Chorley South East
Chorley South West
Clayton-le-Woods and Whittle-le-Woods
Clayton-le-Woods North
Clayton-le-Woods West and Cuerden
Coppull
Eccleston and Mawdesley
Euxton North
Euxton South
Heath Charnock and Rivington
Lostock
Pennine
Wheelton and Withnell

Comments (12)

4:18pm Tue 16 Oct 12

midas says...

He wouldn't be furious because hes not going to win the seat and will have to get a real job!!!
He wouldn't be furious because hes not going to win the seat and will have to get a real job!!! midas

4:26pm Tue 16 Oct 12

Malthus says...

Definite gerrymandering. I am surprised that this corrupt coalition are not thinking of reintroducing the concept of the "Rotten Borough". Lancashire could be divided up in the following way, Edgeworth, Clitheroe, Houghton, Pleasington, could each have an MP of their own. Whilst the rest of Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen would have just the one MP to represent the remaining electorate. Seriously, I would recommend readers to look up the history surrounding "Rotten Boroughs". a prime example of one such borough was Old Sarum in Wiltshire it had only 3 houses and 7 voters and yet had the power to elect a Member of Parliament.
Definite gerrymandering. I am surprised that this corrupt coalition are not thinking of reintroducing the concept of the "Rotten Borough". Lancashire could be divided up in the following way, Edgeworth, Clitheroe, Houghton, Pleasington, could each have an MP of their own. Whilst the rest of Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen would have just the one MP to represent the remaining electorate. Seriously, I would recommend readers to look up the history surrounding "Rotten Boroughs". a prime example of one such borough was Old Sarum in Wiltshire it had only 3 houses and 7 voters and yet had the power to elect a Member of Parliament. Malthus

4:28pm Tue 16 Oct 12

accy lad and proud says...

Jones the Dream jumping in bed with the Liberal silly Pratts ! That just sums him up!!!!
Jones the Dream jumping in bed with the Liberal silly Pratts ! That just sums him up!!!! accy lad and proud

6:05pm Tue 16 Oct 12

real betis hotpot says...

Tory scum - know they can't win the next election and haven't won an election since 1992, couldn't get a majority after 13 years of a Labour government which in the end was deeply unpopular and with the country in the worst recession for decades with an electorate looking for change they still couldn't win, so what chance have they got next time around after 5 years of unpopular austerity policies and Osbourne economics? They can't win so they're changing the boundaries so they might be able to. Since when has Rishton been in the f*cking Ribble Valley.
Tory scum - know they can't win the next election and haven't won an election since 1992, couldn't get a majority after 13 years of a Labour government which in the end was deeply unpopular and with the country in the worst recession for decades with an electorate looking for change they still couldn't win, so what chance have they got next time around after 5 years of unpopular austerity policies and Osbourne economics? They can't win so they're changing the boundaries so they might be able to. Since when has Rishton been in the f*cking Ribble Valley. real betis hotpot

6:34pm Tue 16 Oct 12

Malthus says...

real betis hotpot wrote:
Tory scum - know they can't win the next election and haven't won an election since 1992, couldn't get a majority after 13 years of a Labour government which in the end was deeply unpopular and with the country in the worst recession for decades with an electorate looking for change they still couldn't win, so what chance have they got next time around after 5 years of unpopular austerity policies and Osbourne economics? They can't win so they're changing the boundaries so they might be able to. Since when has Rishton been in the f*cking Ribble Valley.
It will do wonders for the house prices in Rishton. Obviously this can only be perceived as the Tories buying votes albeit via the back door.
[quote][p][bold]real betis hotpot[/bold] wrote: Tory scum - know they can't win the next election and haven't won an election since 1992, couldn't get a majority after 13 years of a Labour government which in the end was deeply unpopular and with the country in the worst recession for decades with an electorate looking for change they still couldn't win, so what chance have they got next time around after 5 years of unpopular austerity policies and Osbourne economics? They can't win so they're changing the boundaries so they might be able to. Since when has Rishton been in the f*cking Ribble Valley.[/p][/quote]It will do wonders for the house prices in Rishton. Obviously this can only be perceived as the Tories buying votes albeit via the back door. Malthus

7:09pm Tue 16 Oct 12

jogalot says...

Please excuse my ignorance. Apparently I live in the Rossendale and Oswaldtwistle constituency but I'm afraid I don't know where Cribden, Facit and Shawforth, Eden, Goodshaw, Greenfield, Greensclough, Hareholme, Healey or Longholme are although I do know that Whitworth is near Rochdale, Stacksteads is near Bacup, Worsley is near Bolton and Whitewell is in the Ribble Valley.

Can I get to those places in a day on my bus pass? Where will the MP hold his surgery? Will it be convenient or even possible for all the constituents to visit their MP, go to meetings that concern all parts of the constituency or share in the concerns of constituents of those far-flung places?

RIDICULOUS!!!!
Please excuse my ignorance. Apparently I live in the Rossendale and Oswaldtwistle constituency but I'm afraid I don't know where Cribden, Facit and Shawforth, Eden, Goodshaw, Greenfield, Greensclough, Hareholme, Healey or Longholme are although I do know that Whitworth is near Rochdale, Stacksteads is near Bacup, Worsley is near Bolton and Whitewell is in the Ribble Valley. Can I get to those places in a day on my bus pass? Where will the MP hold his surgery? Will it be convenient or even possible for all the constituents to visit their MP, go to meetings that concern all parts of the constituency or share in the concerns of constituents of those far-flung places? RIDICULOUS!!!! jogalot

9:20pm Tue 16 Oct 12

mavrick says...

midas wrote:
He wouldn't be furious because hes not going to win the seat and will have to get a real job!!!
This is gerrymandering like only the Tories know how. There is no logic to the proposed boundaries. It is as bad as houses for votes scandal.
As for Graham Jones getting a real job, He has had real jobs and is doing a great job with what he has to work with.
[quote][p][bold]midas[/bold] wrote: He wouldn't be furious because hes not going to win the seat and will have to get a real job!!![/p][/quote]This is gerrymandering like only the Tories know how. There is no logic to the proposed boundaries. It is as bad as houses for votes scandal. As for Graham Jones getting a real job, He has had real jobs and is doing a great job with what he has to work with. mavrick

9:59pm Tue 16 Oct 12

Burnley_resident1 says...

Cliviger & Worsthorne in Pendle?! What a joke. Obvious gerrymandering. Let's make this constituency as rural as possible then us hooray henrys can win!
Cliviger & Worsthorne in Pendle?! What a joke. Obvious gerrymandering. Let's make this constituency as rural as possible then us hooray henrys can win! Burnley_resident1

11:04pm Tue 16 Oct 12

lightamatch catcharabbit says...

Malthus wrote:
Definite gerrymandering. I am surprised that this corrupt coalition are not thinking of reintroducing the concept of the "Rotten Borough". Lancashire could be divided up in the following way, Edgeworth, Clitheroe, Houghton, Pleasington, could each have an MP of their own. Whilst the rest of Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen would have just the one MP to represent the remaining electorate. Seriously, I would recommend readers to look up the history surrounding "Rotten Boroughs". a prime example of one such borough was Old Sarum in Wiltshire it had only 3 houses and 7 voters and yet had the power to elect a Member of Parliament.
What a good idea. As a long suffering, under-represented and positively contributing community (through taxation, council tax and lack of reliance on handouts and interventions) that has little affinity with Darwen let alone Blackburn, the people of Edgworth would at least have a say at national level. It certainly doesn't have a say at local level. What is your gripe with Edgworth and the other areas named? Jealous of people who have worked for what they have achieved, just trotting out your father's union s***e or just can't format a reasoned argument?
[quote][p][bold]Malthus[/bold] wrote: Definite gerrymandering. I am surprised that this corrupt coalition are not thinking of reintroducing the concept of the "Rotten Borough". Lancashire could be divided up in the following way, Edgeworth, Clitheroe, Houghton, Pleasington, could each have an MP of their own. Whilst the rest of Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen would have just the one MP to represent the remaining electorate. Seriously, I would recommend readers to look up the history surrounding "Rotten Boroughs". a prime example of one such borough was Old Sarum in Wiltshire it had only 3 houses and 7 voters and yet had the power to elect a Member of Parliament.[/p][/quote]What a good idea. As a long suffering, under-represented and positively contributing community (through taxation, council tax and lack of reliance on handouts and interventions) that has little affinity with Darwen let alone Blackburn, the people of Edgworth would at least have a say at national level. It certainly doesn't have a say at local level. What is your gripe with Edgworth and the other areas named? Jealous of people who have worked for what they have achieved, just trotting out your father's union s***e or just can't format a reasoned argument? lightamatch catcharabbit

9:30am Wed 17 Oct 12

midas says...

mavrick wrote:
midas wrote: He wouldn't be furious because hes not going to win the seat and will have to get a real job!!!
This is gerrymandering like only the Tories know how. There is no logic to the proposed boundaries. It is as bad as houses for votes scandal. As for Graham Jones getting a real job, He has had real jobs and is doing a great job with what he has to work with.
Its only redressing the imbalance that Labour have manipulated for themselves. Whilst I hesitate to use the word, it is a FACT that Laboor have a disproportionate number of seats fro the votes they get, but i keep forgetting about your very selective memory!
[quote][p][bold]mavrick[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]midas[/bold] wrote: He wouldn't be furious because hes not going to win the seat and will have to get a real job!!![/p][/quote]This is gerrymandering like only the Tories know how. There is no logic to the proposed boundaries. It is as bad as houses for votes scandal. As for Graham Jones getting a real job, He has had real jobs and is doing a great job with what he has to work with.[/p][/quote]Its only redressing the imbalance that Labour have manipulated for themselves. Whilst I hesitate to use the word, it is a FACT that Laboor have a disproportionate number of seats fro the votes they get, but i keep forgetting about your very selective memory! midas

12:43pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Ian the Beancounter says...

Why "Bolton North with Darwen"? What's wrong with "Darwen with Bolton North"?
Why "Bolton North with Darwen"? What's wrong with "Darwen with Bolton North"? Ian the Beancounter

2:07pm Wed 17 Oct 12

doolish says...

well there is an Accrington East, but where's the middle of Accrington gone ?
well there is an Accrington East, but where's the middle of Accrington gone ? doolish

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