Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Priti Patel among those at risk from boundary changes plan

Dozens of British MPs, including secretary of state Priti Patel, face uncertain futures under proposals by an independent commission charged with cutting the number of parliamentary seats.

The Boundary Commission for England unveiled its proposals on Tuesday (September 13) to meet parliament’s decision to reduce the number of constituencies, or voting areas, to 600 from the current 650 in Britain to make sure the number of voters in each region is similar.


Labour MPs say they will oppose the changes, arguing they disproportionately affect the left-leaning party. However, Patel, Conservative MP for Witham, could potentially be moved into another Essex seat vacated by a retiring colleague.

The proposals are not final: they will be debated by the public before being presented to parliament in 2018. They are aimed at creating constituencies of 71,000 to 78,500 voters, compared with a current range between 55,000 and 95,000.

Other high-profile politicians who will have their seats withdrawn include Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former chancellor George Osborne and foreign secretary Boris Johnson. Yvette Cooper, Tristram Hunt and Owen Smith are also set to be affected.

“Today’s proposals mark the first time people get to see what the new map of parliamentary constituencies might look like,” Sam Hartley, secretary to the commission, said in a statement.

“Parliament has set us tight rules about reducing the number of constituencies, and making them of more equal size, and we now need the views of people around the country to help us shape constituencies that best reflect local areas.”

The commission said England will lose 33 constituencies.

Robert Haywood, an analyst and member of House of Lords, said Labour could lose up to 30 seats, with the ruling Conservative Party set to see between 10 and 15 of its seats disappear.

More broadly, the changes, if accepted, would make it harder for Labour – which is expected to lose some 25 seats under these proposals – to take power, and easier for prime minister Theresa May’s Conservatives to stay in office.

As well as reducing the number of MPs, the review aims to balance out the size of constituencies, which have been altered by demographic change over the years, to an average of 74,769.

Corbyn said he was “very unhappy” about the suggested size of a new constituency. His party has said it will fight the proposed changes.

More For You

F-35B jet

The UK has agreed to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport.

Indian Air Force

F-35B jet still stranded in Kerala, UK sends engineers for repair

UK AVIATION engineers are arriving in Thiruvananthapuram to carry out repairs on an F-35B Lightning jet belonging to the Royal Navy, which has remained grounded after an emergency landing 12 days ago.

The jet is part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group of the UK's Royal Navy. It made the emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14. The aircraft, valued at over USD 110 million, is among the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ahmedabad air crash
Relatives carry the coffin of a victim, who was killed in the Air India Flight 171 crash, during a funeral ceremony in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ahmedabad crash: Grief, denial and trauma haunt families

TWO weeks after the crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, families of victims are grappling with grief and trauma. Psychiatrists are now working closely with many who continue to oscillate between denial and despair.

The crash occurred on June 12, when the London-bound flight hit the BJ Medical College complex shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 29 on the ground. Only one passenger survived.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer apologises for 'island of strangers' immigration speech

Prime minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech at The British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London on June 26, 2025. (Photo by EDDIE MULHOLLAND/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer apologises for 'island of strangers' immigration speech

PRIME MINISTER Sir Keir Starmer has admitted he was wrong to warn that Britain could become an "island of strangers" due to high immigration, saying he "deeply" regrets the controversial phrase.

Speaking to The Observer, Sir Keir said he would not have used those words if he had known they would be seen as echoing the language of Enoch Powell's notorious 1968 "rivers of blood" speech.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sir Sajid Javid leads commission 'tackling social divisions'

Sir Sajid Javid (Photo by Tom Nicholson-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Sir Sajid Javid leads commission 'tackling social divisions'

A cross-party group has been formed to tackle the deep divisions that sparked last summer's riots across England. The new commission will be led by former Tory minister Sir Sajid Javid and ex-Labour MP Jon Cruddas.

The Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion has backing from both prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. It brings together 19 experts from different political parties and walks of life.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Masum

Masum was seen on CCTV trying to steer the pram away and, when she refused to go with him, stabbed her multiple times before walking away and boarding a bus. (Photo: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Habibur Masum convicted of murdering estranged wife in front of baby

A MAN who stabbed his estranged wife to death in Bradford in front of their baby has been convicted of murder.

Habibur Masum, 26, attacked 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter in broad daylight on April 6, 2024, stabbing her more than 25 times while she pushed their seven-month-old son in a pram. The baby was not harmed.

Keep ReadingShow less