Voters in Hammerwich are set to have a say on who is Tamworth’s MP rather than Lichfield’s after confirmation of plans for a change in election boundaries.
Challenges had been made to the proposals – which will see Haywood & Hixon transferred from the Stafford constituency into Lichfield – but the Boundary Commission has rejected any revisions.
Their had been a suggestion that Whittington would be better suited in the Tamworth voting area than Hammerwich, but this idea was also thrown out.
Lichfield’s MP Michael Fabricant has said that while he understands the need for change, he is disappointed by the news.
“I did not want to lose any part of my Lichfield constituency having close ties in both Hammerwich and Whittington,” he explained. “It is unfortunate that a change has to be made at all, but I recognise that the numbers just don’t stack up.
“Tamworth is too small and needs an extra ward to keep its numbers up and by removing a ward from Lichfield, we will need an extra ward to keep our numbers up. It is only right that Parliamentary constituencies should all have roughly the same number of constituents and the rule is that this should be plus or minus five per cent of the average – around 76,000 voters per MP.
“But with the Liberal Democrats now saying they will vote against this measure and Labour saying the same – as it gives them a political advantage in urban seats where there are currently more Labour MPs per head of population – all this could be academic.
“The vote on boundary changes will be taken in the House of Commons around about July, September, or October next year. If the vote is defeated, the next General Election will be fought on existing boundaries.”
