UK parliamentary boundary review 2016-2018

[joevsimp]

So my thoughts as an outside observer: a lot of the new boundaries cut snugly around the borders of major towns rather than having them at the centre and I think that there will be some big differences once the review is complete.

(In the order listed on the BBC website)

1. Foyle. Hardly any change and not much you could've done with it anyway.

2. Glenshane. I doubt that the name will survive but nothing else wrong with it really. How far into Tyrone does it extend?

3. North Tyrone. Inelegant but not a massive problem,western end is very untidy. I expect it will be dismembered to fix problems elsewhere though.

4. Dalriada. Name will have to go but nothing else wrong with it, apart from excluding Ballymena and including Coleraine by very tight margins

5, 6 & 7. East, West and South Antrim. Newtonabbey's built up area is split between these three and Belfast NW. I'd expect a lot to change during the review and I'm not too sure about Lisburn being included either.

8, 9, 10. NW, SW and East Belfast. I can see why the DUP don't like it but can't see any other way. The eastern suburbs and remains of Castlereagh are carved up horribly though between the next three. But that's more down to the new district boundaries.

11. North Down. Same as Foyle

12. Strangford. Not bad but I hope to will lose its bits of Castlereagh and Carryduff.

13. West Down. Don't like it but not the worst.

14. South Down. Practically unchanged. I had expected something more like the old Newry and Mourne district to be proposed.

15. Newry and Armagh. Trimmed very tight around Armagh city. Not too bad though.

16. Upper Bann and Blackwater. Named after two rivers, what is this? France? Good luck to the assistant commissioner defending this one. Redeemed by mostly being linked by motorway though.

17. Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Seems like an afterthought but in itself isn't too bad.

[joevsimp]

Depending on what else changes in that part of town, this could end up with a selection battle between the two current Hackney MPs; Diane Abbot and Meg Hillier, although despite the media narrative,  the safe Labour seats in inner East London are overpopulated so a new seat may emerge further out for the latter.

[joevsimp]

My favourite seat is probably Birmingham Ladywood: eastern Smethwick through to the Castle Vale estate on the far side of the city in one long bizarre loop!

Although special award for managing to not name the seat that includes the centre of Wolverhampton for Wolverhampton but for two smaller towns!!!!!!

Yeah those are quite bad, but I like Chelmsley Wood and Solihul North, could end up as a five way marginal.  Whether Coventry West is a price worth paying for it is another matter.

[joevsimp]

I remember at the start of the zombie review there Was Brighton & Hove Central drawn almost perfectly for us,  and they projected it as labour somehow, having said that though, the Green voting parts of the city are divided almost perfectly against us this time. Hopefully Brighton Central and Hove will prove you much for the public beatings to tolerate and a more sensible map will somehow emerge ( STruggling to see how in so many places though)