ALDERMASTON could become part of Wokingham if plans to reduce the number of MPs comes to pass.
On Tuesday, the Boundary Commission announced a consultation into the UK’s electoral boundaries. In total, the current 650 MPs will be reduced to 600 at the 2020 General Election if the suggestions are adopted.
While Berkshire barely changes, there are big cuts to the number of Welsh MPs – its 40 MPs will be reduced to 29. There are similar reductions in Scotland, 59 seats to 53.
The changes are being suggested to try and make MP’s constituencies more representative of the areas they serve and as equal in size as possible.
This means that there are changes to the make-up of the seats in the Thames Valley. Wokingham borough will continue to be served by four MPs representing Bracknell, Reading East, Maidenhead and Wokingham but there will be some changes in some wards.
Both Bracknell (current MP Dr Phillip Lee) and Maidenhead (current MP Theresa May) are unaffected by the plans, but Reading East (current MP Rob Wilson) seat will take Maiden Erlegh from Wokingham (current MP John Redwood).
Assuming Mr Redwood fights the 2020 General Election, the Wokingham seat will be extended further into West Berkshire, seeing him add the Aldermaston area to his patch on top of Burghfield, Mortimer, and Sulhamstead.
Independent review
On its website, the Boundary Commission said that it had taken a neutral view on the changes.
It notes “As independent and impartial bodies, the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions are required to review and recommend where the boundaries of those new constituencies should be, with the law requiring that every new constituency (except four specified island constituencies) must have roughly the same number of electors: no fewer than 71,031 and no more than 78,507.”
A public consultation is now under way and the proposals can be viewed at www.bce2018.org.uk
