MP rejects Scots "land grab" (From The Northern Echo)

MP rejects Scots "land grab"

2:32pm Monday 11th February 2008 in

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A NORTH-East MP facing the prospect of Scotland stealing part of his constituency has rejected calls for the border to be re-drawn.

As reported in yesterday's Northern Echo, eight Scottish Nationalist members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) want Berwick-upon-Tweed to be returned to Scottish rule - five hundred years since it was last recaptured for England.

However, Alan Beith, the MP for Berwick, last night said the move would require a massive legal upheaval and is not realistic.

"Feelings are being inflamed by the fact that we have so much less money for public services than communities on the other side of the border," he said.

"Moving the border is not a very realistic option and would take massive negotiation and legal change, so the urgent thing is to give people in North Northumberland services comparable to those in Scotland."

The debate has flared up days before ITV's Tonight show is due to reveal the result of an unofficial referendum on the town's future.

Berwick, which has a population of about 12,000, lies one mile from the Scottish border. It has been part of England since 1482.

The ITV Tonight programme will be screened on Monday, February 25.