Election boundary changes 'will put people off politics'

Major boundary changes before the next general election risk putting people off politics, Edinburgh East Labour MP Sheila Gilmore has warned.

She claimed the UK coalition government's plans to reduce the number of Westminster constituencies would produce undemocratic results.

Ms Gilmore said: "A quota to equalise the constituencies means Boundary Commissions will no longer be required to take account of history, local ties or geography. Worse still, ending public inquiries into decisions of the Boundary Commissions means the public will lose the opportunity for meaningful participation in the process.

"These reforms were supposed to get more people interested in politics.

"To create meaningless constituencies and exclude voters from the boundary changes will do the opposite of engaging people."