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The high price of ‘Reduce and Equalise’ in Scotland

ERS News

The high price of ‘Reduce and Equalise’ in Scotland

Published: Thursday, May 27th 2010



The Electoral Reform Society Scotland is highlighting the likely consequences of the government’s pledge to ‘reduce and equalise’ constituencies in the House of Commons.

At an event this evening in Glasgow attendees will discuss what the general election and what it might mean for constitutional reform. In the spotlight is the government’s proposal to bring a ‘one size fits all’ approach to UK constituencies.

Leading psephologist Lewis Baston will provide insights into a potentially flawed policy that could come at a high price for Scotland.

Willie Sullivan, Director of ERS Scotland said:
 

“The government is preparing ready to fast track a new political map for Scotland. Reducing the size of the House of Commons may have populist appeal, but it also has the potential to bend communities out of shape while disenfranchising thousands.

“This one size fits all approach doesn’t fit Scotland’s unique communities and diverse populations.
 
“Westminster’s aspiring cartographers may think constituencies like 'Orkney, Shetland, Caithness & Sutherland' make sense, but the needs of Scottish voters and Scottish communities simply cannot be ignored.”
 
“Reduce and Equalise is a distraction from the real reform of the voting system which is so urgently required”

Summary of plans and implications for Scotland
 
  • Government Plans are to reduce size of House of Commons by 10% (585 seats) and impose new rule that constituencies can't be more than either side of the average. The average ('quota') for a seat is around 70,000 now and therefore 77,000 after the change (with maximum and minimum around 81,000 and 73,000
  • Scotland as a whole would get 50 seats (reduced from 59).
  • The smallest Scottish seats are in the Highlands and Islands and this would require the creation of very large (in area) seats - 'Ross, Cromarty & The Isles' and 'Orkney, Shetland, Caithness & Sutherland' are potential new names on the political map of Scotland.
  •  Lib Dems might special plead for these areas, which would be completely unjust to voters elsewhere who have to conform to this policy - and might have larger than normal seats to compensate!)
  •  Registration is low in urban areas, particularly Glasgow and without major improvements urban areas risk being disenfranchised.
  • Registration will be further disrupted by the coalition's plan to accelerate Individual Voter Registration
  • Constituencies will slice through well-established communities, and change their boundaries much more frequently than they do now

 

Main predecessor

Additions

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orkney, Shetland, Caithness and Sutherland

Caithness & Sutherland

Orkney & Shetland (all)

Lib Dem

1

Ross, Cromarty and the Isles

Ross, Cromarty & Skye

Na h-Eileanan an Iar (all)

Lib Dem

2

Inverness, Nairn and Forres

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey

Moray (Forres)

Lib Dem

3

Moray and Banff

Moray

Banff & Buchan (Banff)

Gordon (Huntly)

SNP

4

Aberdeenshire North

Banff & Buchan

Gordon (part)

SNP

5

Aberdeenshire South

Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine

Gordon (part)

Lib Dem

6

Aberdeen North

Aberdeen North

Gordon (Bridge of Don)

Labour

7

Aberdeen South

Aberdeen South

Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine (Westhill, North Kincardine)

Labour or Lib Dem

8

Angus, Mearns and Alyth

Angus

Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine (part of Mearns)

Perth & North Perthshire (Alyth)

SNP

9

Dundee East

Dundee East

Dundee West (part)

Labour or SNP

10

Dundee West and Gowrie

Dundee West

Perth & North Perthshire (Carse of Gowrie, Blairgowrie)

SNP or Labour

11

Perthshire and Ochil

Perth & North Perthshire

Ochil & South Perthshire (South Perthshire, Alva)

SNP

12

Stirling

Stirling

Ochil & South Perthshire (small part), Falkirk (Denny)

Labour

13

Argyll, Bute and Lomond

Argyll & Bute

Dunbartonshire West (Balloch, Lomond)

Lib Dem

14

Fife East and Kinross

Fife North East

Ochil & South Perthshire (Kinross)

Lib Dem

15

Glenrothes

Glenrothes

Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath (Lochgelly)

Labour

16

Kirkcaldy & Rosyth

Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath

Dunfermline & West Fife (Rosyth)

Labour

17

Dunfermline & Alloa

Dunfermline & West Fife

Ochil & South Perthshire (most of Clackmannan)

Labour

18

18

 

 

 

 

Dumbarton & Yoker

Dunbartonshire West

Glasgow North West (Yoker)

Labour

19

Maryhill & Bearsden

Dunbartonshire East

Glasgow North (Maryhill), Glasgow North East (Canal)

Labour or Lib Dem

20

Springburn  and Bishopbriggs

Glasgow North East

Dunbartonshire East (Bishopbriggs), Glasgow East and Glasgow Central (Calton)

Labour

21

Glasgow West

Glasgow North West

Glasgow North (Hillhead), Glasgow Central (City centre)

Labour

22

Glasgow East and Glenboig

Glasgow East

Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill (Strathkelvin, Glenboig)

Labour

23

Glasgow South West

Glasgow South West

Glasgow Central (inner Govan), Glasgow South (Pollokshields part)

Labour

24

Glasgow South

Glasgow South

Glasgow Central (Southside)

Labour

25

Renfrewshire East

Renfrewshire East

Kilmarnock & Loudoun (Annick)

Labour

26

Paisley

Paisley & Renfrewshire South

Paisley & Renfrewshire North (Paisley town parts)

Labour

27

Greenock and Renfrew

Inverclyde

Paisley & Renfrewshire North (Renfrew and outer), Paisley & Renfrewshire South (outer)

Labour

28

Ardrossan, Arran and Gourock

Ayrshire North & Arran

Inverclyde (Gourock)

Labour

29

Ayrshire Central

Ayrshire Central

Ayrshire North & Arran (inland areas)

Labour

30

Ayr and Carrick

Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock

Ayrshire Central (Prestwick)

Labour

31

Kilmarnock and Cumnock

Kilmarnock & Loudoun

Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock (Cumnock)

Labour

32

Dumfries and Galloway

Dumfries and Galloway

 

Labour

33

Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch

Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East

Dunbartonshire East (west Kirkintilloch)

Labour

34

Coatbridge and Airdrie

Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill

Airdrie & Shotts (most of Airdrie)

Labour

35

Rutherglen and Bellshill

Rutherglen & Hamilton West

Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill (Bellshill), Lanark & Hamilton East (Bothwell)

Labour

36

East Kilbride, Strathaven and Blantyre

East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow

Rutherglen & Hamilton West (Blantyre)

 

37

Lanark and Annandale

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale

Lanark & Hamilton East (Lanark), East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow (Lesmahagow)

Labour or Conservative

38

Motherwell and Wishaw

Motherwell and Wishaw

Airdrie & Shotts (Holytown, Shotts)

Labour

39

Hamilton

Lanark & Hamilton East

Rutherglen & Hamilton West (west Hamilton), Motherwell & Wishaw (part of Motherwell)

Labour

40

 

 

 

 

 

Falkirk

Falkirk

Linlithgow & Falkirk East (small part)

Labour

41

Linlithgow

Linlithgow & Falkirk East

 

Labour

42

Livingston

Livingston

 

Labour

43

Midlothian and Peebles

Midlothian

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale (part of Tweeddale)

Labour

44

Berwick and East Lothian

East Lothian

Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk (east Berwickshire)

Labour

45

Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk

Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale (Annandale, parts of Dumfriesshire and borders)

Conservative or Lib Dem

46

Edinburgh South East

Edinburgh South

Edinburgh East (Duddingston area)

Labour

47

Edinburgh South West

Edinburgh South West

Edinburgh South (inner part, Southside and Morningside)

Labour

48

Edinburgh West

Edinburgh West

Edinburgh North and Leith (Inverleith west part), Edinburgh South West (Sighthill part)

Lib Dem

49

Edinburgh Central and Leith

Edinburgh North and Leith

Edinburgh East (Old Town, Leith fringes)

Labour

50

 

LD 8, Con 0, SNP 5, Lab 37

 

 

For more information contact Willie Sullivan on 07940 523842 willie.sullivan@electoral-reform.org.uk
 
What just happened: an analysis of the election
 
2009 saw British politics at its darkest hour, making the case for reform ever stronger.  A year on, the UK faces a General Election.  Regardless of the final result, whoever enters number ten will owe their loyalty as much to the outdated system for electing MPs as to the ringing endorsement of the UK electorate. 
 
Lewis Baston, journalist, Research Consultant for the Electoral Reform Society, and recognised authority on electoral systems, will give an analysis of the election results.  He will discuss where the campaign for cleaning up politics goes in the wake of the election, and what are the viable options for electoral reform.
 
Join the Electoral Reform Society for an informal evening of discussion, controversy and refreshment.
 
Date:     Thursday 27th May
Venue:   Parish Halls, 3rd floor, 266 George Street, Glasgow G1 1QX
Time:     6 - 8 pm
 
This event is free but please RSVP to:
 
Kate Robinson, Electoral Reform Society Scotland
 
Telf. 0141 227 3973
Kate.robinson@electoral-reform.org.uk
 
This venue has a lift and is wheelchair accessible.

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