THE North East could lose two MPs if proposals to change constituency boundaries across the UK are approved.
An independent review, aimed at making constituencies around the country more equal in terms of population size, has proposed reducing the number of MPs in the region from 29 to 27.
The Boundary Commission for England says it is required by law to recommend constituencies containing between 69,724 and 77,062 electors.
The majority of seats in our region would have their boundaries altered in some way.
People are now being asked for their views on these initial plans. Final proposals are due to be published in 2023, with the intention that changes are made in time for the next general election.
What does it mean for the North East?
The review states the North East has been allocated 27 constituencies – a reduction of two from the current number. Their proposals leave two of the existing 29 constituencies wholly unchanged, and 11 with only minor substantive changes of one to two wards.
North Tyneside, currently represented by Labour's Mary Glindon, and Houghton and Sunderland South, where Labour's Bridget Phillipson is currently the MP, would be absorbed into other constituencies.
North Yorkshire would have an extra seat, taking in parts of West Yorkshire, named Wetherby and Easingwold.
Another significant change would see Blyth and Ashington become part of the same constituency, with Cramlington joining a seat with Whitley Bay.
What would the new seats be?
Berwick and Morpeth
Bishop Auckland
Blaydon
Blyth and Ashington
City of Durham
Darlington
Gateshead
Hartlepool
Hexham
Jarrow and Sunderland West
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Newcastle upon Tyne East
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Newcastle upon Tyne West
Newton Aycliffe and Sedgefield
North Durham
North West Durham
Redcar and Eston
Seaham and Peterlee
South Shields
Stockton North
Stockton West
Sunderland Central
Tynemouth
Washington and Sunderland South West
Whitley Bay and Cramlington
What is the impact nationally?
Sir Keir Starmer will see his parliamentary boundaries substantially redrawn, while the seats of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will remain largely unchanged
England is set to gain 10 additional seats at the expense of Wales, which is due to lose eight, and Scotland, which will be down two.
Of the 533 existing English constituencies, fewer than 10% will remain unchanged under the proposals.
Commission secretary Tim Bowden said: “Today’s proposals mark the first time people get to see what the new map of parliamentary constituencies might look like. But they are just the commission’s initial thoughts.
“We want to hear the views of the public to ensure that we get the new boundaries for Parliamentary constituencies right.”
The Boundary Commissions for Scotland and Wales will publish their proposals separately.
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