Malvern and Ledbury political boundary changes angers MP - The Malvern Observer

Malvern and Ledbury political boundary changes angers MP

Malvern Editorial 19th Sep, 2016 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

THE POLITICAL landscape of the Malvern Hills could be set for big change under new proposals which have been labelled ‘illogical’ and ‘badly divisive’.

Radical changes, proposed to help reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 by 2020, could see residents in both Malvern and Ledbury be represented by just one MP rather than two which has been the case for decades.

Initial plans have been announced by the Boundary Commission for the current West Worcestershire constituency covering Malvern, Upton and Pershore to be scrapped and replaced with a larger ‘Malvern and Ledbury’ constituency.

If approved, this would see the removal of Pershore from the boundary and the inclusion of more than 17,000 voters from the neighbouring North Herefordshire seat taking in areas including Ledbury, Much Marcle and Callow Marsh. Pershore has been included in the new Evesham and South Warwickshire constituency.




The majority of voters in Malvern have elected Harriett Baldwin as their MP since 2010 and a large number of Ledbury voters have crossed Bill Wiggin as their preferred candidate to be the North Herefordshire MP.

But the changes could see Mrs Baldwin represent Ledbury for the first time and Mr Wiggin lose the right to represent the town.


A consultation regarding the plans has been launched and residents can have their say by visiting www.bce2018.org.uk which runs until December 5.

A further two rounds of consultation will take place next year.

But Mr Wiggin has blasted the changes saying people would be saddened to see the break up of the Herefordshire region.

He said: “There will be a series of public consultations later in the year where people can convey their sense of sadness that the proposals would see Herefordshire broken up in such an illogical way – particularly given the geographical features.

“Then the Boundary Commission will think again and finally in 2018 there will be a vote in the House of Commons.

“Last time, the proposals were worse for Herefordshire but these latest ones are still badly divisive.

“We should remain calm but determined until the end of the process remembering that the last set of proposed changes never materialised.”

In the West Midlands a total of six seats have been lost overall.

Mrs Baldwin added: “These are initial proposals and everyone should have their say.

“I do think it’s right that constituencies should be equal in size and that we should cut the cost of politics by making MPs work even harder.”

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