Mixed reception for proposed Scottish electoral boundary changes
Proposed changes to Scotland's UK Parliamentary constituency boundaries have provoked a mixture of responses from politicians.
Proposed constituencies in this cross-section (the thick borders represent council areas) — 4 Angus East and Kincardine, 9 Clackmannanshire and Dunfermline West, 12 Cupar and St Andrews, 15 Dundee East and the Glens, 16 Dundee West and Gowrie, 17
- By Alan Wilson
- Published in the Courier : 13.10.11
- Published online : 13.10.11 @ 03.01pm
Under the Boundary Commission for Scotland proposals, a large swathe of Angus will come under a new Dundee East and The Glens constituency, while Forfar, Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin will become part of Angus East and Kincardine.
The Carse of Gowrie and much of the countryside east of Perth, along with Coupar Angus, will be merged into a new Dundee West and Gowrie constituency, while Crieff will be included in the new Stirling and Crieff constituency.
However, the biggest controversy is in Fife, where it is proposed to split Dunfermline in two, with one constituency including part of Clackmannanshire.
A Cupar and St Andrews constituency is also proposed, made up of 71% of the existing North East Fife area and 29% of the Glenrothes constituency, while a Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes constituency is also envisaged, taking in parts of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, Glenrothes and part of the current North East Fife area.
In Dundee the only council ward affected will be Maryfield, which will be split — with 59% of voters going to the Dundee East and the Glens and the remaining 41% forming part of Dundee West and Gowrie.
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie said: "I am delighted that two Dundee seats are to be retained in the proposals. This was the key thing for us - that the city would keep its two seats at Westminster, and this now seems certain, although the number of Scottish MPs overall will fall from 59 to 52."
Dundee West MP Jim McGovern was more cautious, saying he would study the proposals before making his views known.
¶ Further information on the commission's initial proposals can be found at bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/6th_westminster/.
He said: "Dundee is a city and I would hope that any boundary changes would reflect that identity. There is now going to be a public consultation and I will make my views clear during that process."
Angus MP Mike Weir said: "People will have to look at it and consider how it will make a difference to them. People in the Glens area will have little obvious connection with those in an urban area like Dundee."
Dunfermline and West Fife MP Thomas Docherty slammed the plans to split Dunfermline in two as "ludicrous".
Under the proposals 44% of his constituency would fall under the Clackmannanshire and Dunfermline West seat and 56% to Dunfermline East.
The commission is proposing a constituency combining all of Clackmannanshire council area with the western part of Fife.
Of the local authority Dunfermline Central ward, which covers the town centre, 50% would fall to Clackmannanshire and Dunfermline West and 50% to Dunfermline East.
Mr Docherty told The Courier: "I will oppose the splitting of Dunfermline town as that is going to be absolutely ludicrous. . . I will be concentrating on getting the town reunited, it would not be a big shift over."
A spokesman for Sir Menzies Campbell, North East Fife MP, said: "We have received the Boundary Commission for Scotland's proposals and we will digest and respond to these at the local inquiry in due course".
Continues...
07.22am - 14.10.2011 Gwen - Dundee, Scotland UK Report This
Mike Weir is correct. Aside from 1. jobs, 2. shopping, 3. leisure facilities and 4. healthcare, the people of he Glens have no tine , sorry, have no obvious connection with Dundee.
10.37am - 14.10.2011 T.O. - Dundee, U.K. Report This
Population wise, Dundee should take care of itself as long as its suburbs are included. To add other parts of Angus is just silly and shows an ignorance of those making these changes.
08.59am - 09.05.2012 Kenneth Graham - Pembury Royal Tunbridge Wells, UNITED KINGDOM Report This
Is Glasgow and Edinburgh effected by this ???? if not why not ??? While it appears Dundee is benefitting from this I am one who prefers the present system for historical reasons ... It would look strange and unexplainable if this took place.
Add a comment