Otley MP welcomes vote that postpones changes (From Ilkley Gazette)

Otley MP welcomes vote that postpones changes

8:00am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in Local news

Otley's MP has welcomed a Parliamentary vote that means any constitutional boundary changes will be postponed until after the next General Election.

Opposition parties, along with the Liberal Democrats and some Conservative MPs, voted on Tuesday to accept a House of Lords amendment to the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill.

The result means no boundary changes will be introduced until after 2018.

Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) said: "The amendment I tabled back in 2010 was identical to the purpose of the Lords amendment that has been accepted.

"So I am delighted both Houses have now agreed with me, and voted with a clear majority to postpone the constituency boundary changes.

“I made clear when the bill was introduced in October, 2010, that I opposed the way the changes were being rushed through in an unreasonable and unfair timescale.

"There needs to be a process to seek to make the number of electors in Parliamentary seats more equal, the problem is that the rules were far too rigid and inflexible.

"It is now time for cross-party agreement to work up sensible rules to be brought forward in the next Parliament.

“Once individual registration has been introduced, so there are constituencies drawn up that are geographically sensible and do not cross county or council boundaries, or split genuine communities."

Shipley MP Philip Davies was among four Tory rebels who helped send the bid to redraw parliamentary constituencies for the 2015 general election to its deathbed.

Ilkley’s Conservative MP Kris Hopkins voted with the Government.

The latest proposals drawn up by the Boundary Commission would have seen eight MPs representing voters across the Bradford Metropolitran District – instead of five.

It would have created four main Bradford seats but also placed parts of the district in four other areas across West Yorkshire.