Littleport could move to SW Norfolk in radical electoral shake-up

Littleport could become part of South West Norfolk in a radical shake-up of Parliamentary boundaries.
The Boundary Commissions for England and Wales have announced plans for sweeping reforms which would see the number of MPs in the the House of Commons slashed from 650 to 600.
In its proposals, the Boundary Commission for England recommends that the wards of Littleport East and West – currently part of North East Cambridgeshire and represented by MP Steve Barclay – become part of the South West Norfolk Constituency, currently held by Elizabeth Truss (also Conservative).

The Commission also wants to add the District of Huntingdonshire ward of Earith from its existing North West Cambridgeshire constituency, held by Shailesh Vara, to the South East Cambridgeshire constituency, represented by Lucy Frazer, in order to help reduce North West Cambridgeshire’s electorate – the second largest in England – which currently stands at 89,991.
Meanwhile Fulbourn and Linton wards, currently in South East Cambridgeshire, would be moved to South Cambridgeshire.
The Commission wants every electoral constituency in the UK to hold roughly the same number of voters – about 74,769, give or take five per cent.

North East Cambridgeshire constituency, which includes Little Downham, Littleport and Sutton, currently has 75,727 eligible voters.
Meanwhile South East Cambridgeshire, which includes Ely, Bottisham, Burwell, Cheveley, Fordham Villages, Dullingham Villages, Haddenham, Isleham, Soham, Stretham and the Swaffhams, has 77,018 eligible voters.
The Commission will be hosting public hearings across England and is calling for members of the public to have their say regarding their proposals.
Final proposals will be made following a public consultation, and are expected to be published in 2018.
There will be four public hearings throughout the consultation period in the Eastern region. The nearest will take place at Cambridge Guildhall, Market Hill, Cambridge on Thursday November 10 and Friday November 11 2016.
For more information and to have your say click here.
You can also follow the Boundary Commission for England on Twitter @BCE2018 or using #2018boundaryreview.