Constituency changes watered down (From Daily Echo)
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Hampshire constituency changes watered down
2:31pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in Eastleigh
By Tom Moseley, Parliamentary Correspondent
Constituency changes watered down
A CONTROVERSIAL carve-up of Hampshire's electoral map has been drastically watered down.
There was an outcry last year when the Boundary Commission first proposed sweeping changes to seats in Southampton, Eastleigh and the New Forest.
But its revised proposals, published yesterday, signalled a retreat, with the most controversial proposals abandoned.
The Liberal Democrats have pledged to scupper the changes, as revenge for the demise of their Lords Reform hopes.
But David Cameron has vowed to hold a Commons vote, and the Boundary Commission is legally bound to carry on with the project - which will end up costing taxpayers £15 million.
Plans to join Romsey up with the New Forest East constituency have been scrapped, as has has the transfer of large parts of New Forest East, including Lyndhurst, into the New Forest West seat.
New Forest East MP Julian Lewis said: "They have completely retreated from what they were going to do before."
Southampton would have been represented by four different MPs, with Bitterne ward moved to a new Hedge End and Hamble seat and Swaythling becoming part of Eastleigh.
But the commission received a deluge of complaints from locals and politicians and these proposals have also been abandoned.
The seat of Romsey and Southampton North held by Caroline Nokes would be retained under the new proposals, while Eastleigh would be largely unchanged.
Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne charged taxpayers £9,900 on his expenses for an opinion poll of his constituents which he submitted as evidence to protest about the changes. Most of the 842 polled did not want to see any change, the survey said.
The Meon Valley seat held by George Hollingberry would still be axed, with the number of seats in Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth reducing from 18 to 17.
Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead said: "The vast majority of local people who took part in this review said they want to keep the strong link we have right now between Southampton as a city and its MPs."
Comments(12)
aldermoorboy
says...
4:25pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Labour spent 13 years destroying the wealth of this country, our children are the ones that will suffer.
We want fewer politicians not more, that's that the Tories are trying to do.
Over the Edge
says...
4:58pm Tue 16 Oct 12
aldermoorboy wrote:Oh yes keep on blaming the past, which only shows a distinct lack of policies to deliver a better way forward, two years is too long to play the blame game.
Lonely ranger, this is a small amount compared with Billions of debt Labour left us with.
Labour spent 13 years destroying the wealth of this country, our children are the ones that will suffer.
We want fewer politicians not more, that's that the Tories are trying to do.
Borrowing under the Tory controlled coalition is increasing, the IMF has told the coalition how to get the economy going but he doesn't listen, they just carry on blaming whilst the country gets deeper in the mire.
By moving the predominately Labour Bitterne ward (Itchen constituency) into the new predominately Tory Hedge End and Hamble constituency it will ensure more Tory seats gained in the next election.
The Boundary Commission carried out consultation and the people said NO, that would be the INDEPENDENT Boundary Commission so I don't see how Mr Cameron can enforce these changes, mind you he doesn't seem to be listening to economic experts regarding the economy, so what chance does the man in the street have of being heard.
freefinker
says...
5:26pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Lone Ranger. wrote:.. gosh, £15m!!
But David Cameron has vowed to hold a Commons vote, and the Boundary Commission is legally bound to carry on with the project - which will end up costing taxpayers £15 million.
.
£15m for another U-Turn ........ Not a great surprise that our Countries debt is getting greater by the day......
.
It s also apparent that its this clueless Tory led coalition that is racking up the debt ... NOT the banks on this occasion
.
Add the £15m to the giant fiasco of the West Coast franchise that will cost the taxpayer £40m.
.
What a bunch of incompetent idiots
What else would that buy?
Er, a maritime themed museum, maybe?
You missed out on another rant there, Lone Ranger.
ohec
says...
5:37pm Tue 16 Oct 12
aldermoorboy wrote:You must either be deluded or joking it was a certain Mrs Margaret Thatcher that destroyed our country, she done more damage to this country than Hitler could ever have hoped to achieve. She destroyed our industry shut our mines and gave our stock of council houses away and then stopped councils from building more to name just a few of her crazy idea's, when she came to power she gave this great speech about the state of the country and said it will take time to get the country straight but we will get there and it never happened like its not happening now, and before you start i am not a Labour Liberal or Tory supporter.
Lonely ranger, this is a small amount compared with Billions of debt Labour left us with.
Labour spent 13 years destroying the wealth of this country, our children are the ones that will suffer.
We want fewer politicians not more, that's that the Tories are trying to do.
Lone Ranger.
says...
7:51pm Tue 16 Oct 12
freefinker wrote:Oh thanks freefinker ........ My "rant" on the Sea Museum has proven to be 100% correct.
Lone Ranger. wrote:.. gosh, £15m!!
But David Cameron has vowed to hold a Commons vote, and the Boundary Commission is legally bound to carry on with the project - which will end up costing taxpayers £15 million.
.
£15m for another U-Turn ........ Not a great surprise that our Countries debt is getting greater by the day......
.
It s also apparent that its this clueless Tory led coalition that is racking up the debt ... NOT the banks on this occasion
.
Add the £15m to the giant fiasco of the West Coast franchise that will cost the taxpayer £40m.
.
What a bunch of incompetent idiots
What else would that buy?
Er, a maritime themed museum, maybe?
You missed out on another rant there, Lone Ranger.
.
I really am trying my best to expose to the Tory faithful that they are deluded in following old Slippery Dave now confirmed as the worst Prime Minister in living memory (quoted from the Daily Fail ).
.
As the days tick by there will be a few other revelations that will include Coulson and Brookes who will then possibly expose him for what he is.
Lone Ranger.
says...
7:59pm Tue 16 Oct 12
aldermoorboy wrote:.Thirteen years ....... and the Tories couldnt make decent opposition so Labour went unchallenged ........
Lonely ranger, this is a small amount compared with Billions of debt Labour left us with.
Labour spent 13 years destroying the wealth of this country, our children are the ones that will suffer.
We want fewer politicians not more, that's that the Tories are trying to do.
.
And even now to get any type of power the Tories had to piggy back the Lib Dums ...... So desperate for any form of power they would take anything ......... and are now being Exposed for what they are ....... Grossly Incompetent.
.
I did notice that you didnt turn up on here for the Sea Museum exposure confirming the lies as told by a certain party ...... When are you going to ask them to come clean on the borrowing. ...... No backbone then
,
Or perhaps you are a hypocrite like your other deluded mate.
.
good-gosh
says...
8:09pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Bartat
says...
10:54am Wed 17 Oct 12
Pomerol
says...
4:32pm Wed 17 Oct 12
Lone Ranger. wrote:Lone Ranger - how can it be a U turn if he is vowing to carry on? A u-turn is when you don't do what you set out to do, isn't it?
But David Cameron has vowed to hold a Commons vote, and the Boundary Commission is legally bound to carry on with the project - which will end up costing taxpayers £15 million.
.
£15m for another U-Turn ........ Not a great surprise that our Countries debt is getting greater by the day......
.
It s also apparent that its this clueless Tory led coalition that is racking up the debt ... NOT the banks on this occasion
.
Add the £15m to the giant fiasco of the West Coast franchise that will cost the taxpayer £40m.
.
What a bunch of incompetent idiots
Pomerol
says...
4:56pm Wed 17 Oct 12
Over the Edge wrote:Over the Edge: 1. when did the people say 'no'? There has been no vote yet. This is a revision of a proposal - no-one has or will vote on this except in Parliament. 2. If you think two years is long enough after the election to stop blaming Labour then you don;t understand the size of the problem.
aldermoorboy wrote:Oh yes keep on blaming the past, which only shows a distinct lack of policies to deliver a better way forward, two years is too long to play the blame game.
Lonely ranger, this is a small amount compared with Billions of debt Labour left us with.
Labour spent 13 years destroying the wealth of this country, our children are the ones that will suffer.
We want fewer politicians not more, that's that the Tories are trying to do.
Borrowing under the Tory controlled coalition is increasing, the IMF has told the coalition how to get the economy going but he doesn't listen, they just carry on blaming whilst the country gets deeper in the mire.
By moving the predominately Labour Bitterne ward (Itchen constituency) into the new predominately Tory Hedge End and Hamble constituency it will ensure more Tory seats gained in the next election.
The Boundary Commission carried out consultation and the people said NO, that would be the INDEPENDENT Boundary Commission so I don't see how Mr Cameron can enforce these changes, mind you he doesn't seem to be listening to economic experts regarding the economy, so what chance does the man in the street have of being heard.
honour
says...
6:55pm Wed 17 Oct 12
Lone Ranger. says...
3:45pm Tue 16 Oct 12
.
£15m for another U-Turn ........ Not a great surprise that our Countries debt is getting greater by the day......
.
It s also apparent that its this clueless Tory led coalition that is racking up the debt ... NOT the banks on this occasion
.
Add the £15m to the giant fiasco of the West Coast franchise that will cost the taxpayer £40m.
.
What a bunch of incompetent idiots