Political map reform is opposed by MPs (From Keighley News)

Political map reform is opposed by MPs

10:50am Tuesday 29th January 2013 in Keighley

Most MPs in the Bradford district now believe plans to change parliamentary boundaries should be ditched.

They have reacted after Liberal Democrat peers voted against proposals to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 in a massive constituency shake-up, which is thought by experts to be worth up to 20 extra seats for the Conservatives.

There was an outcry in 2011 when the Boundary Commission published its first proposals to carve up the electorate and wipe out the Shipley constituency, which includes Cullingworth and Denholme, and have four main MPs, with other parts of the district being covered by Calder Valley and Yeadon.

The re-drawing of the map would have created four constituencies named Bradford Central, Bradford East and Horsforth, Keighley and Shipley.

The remaining parts of the district would have been split between another four MPs.

But those plans now look set to be delayed until after the 2015 general election after six of the seven Lib Dem frontbenchers in the House of Lords joined the revolt – the first time in this Parliament ministers in either House have voted against the Government.

Downing Street said Prime Minister David Cameron would seek to overturn the amendment in the Commons, but without an overall Tory majority, the parliamentary arithmetic is against him.

Philip Davies MP (Con), whose constituency covers the Cullingworth and Denholme areas, said he voted against the Bill to change the boundaries and was pleased the stance of the Lib Dems was likely to result in the boundaries remaining unchanged.

But Keighley MP Kris Hopkins (Con) said: “The boundaries review was never linked to House of Lords reform.

“I am sorry they [the Lib Dems] have reneged on the agreement reached, which included reducing the number of MPs, which I think would be a popular move across the country.”