Proposal to cut number of Westminster seats revealed

Published on 13/09/2012 12:00

PLANS to cut Edinburgh’s representation at Westminster from five MPs to four were confirmed today by the Boundary Commission for Scotland.

Revised proposals for the redrawing of seats across the country make only minor amendments to the commission’s original scheme unveiled last year. It is now proposed a new seat taking in Bruntsfield and much of Morningside, as well as Liberton, Gilmerton, Burdiehouse, Newington and Portobello should be known as Edinburgh South East rather than Edinburgh East. The other seats in the Capital would be Edinburgh West, Edinburgh South West and a new Edinburgh Central & Leith.

The shake-up was was prompted by the UK coalition government’s pledge to cut the size of the Commons and introduce strict new rules on constituencies being of equal size.

However, the proposed changes may never come into effect after the Lib Dems said they would oppose them in retaliation for the Tories’ block on House of Lords reform.