MPs relieved over amended plans for boundary changes

MPs have expressed relief that plans to "slice up" their constituencies have been amended by the Boundary Commission for England.

East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight and Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said the amended proposals would provide "continuity" for the region, although the changes are unlikely to come into force.

Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy, who faced a battle with fellow Conservative MP David Davis in the new Goole and Cottingham constituency, said the changes made "more sense from a community point of view".

The comments came after the Boundary Commission updated its proposals for existing English constituencies, which the Conservatives want to cut by 31 at the next General Election.

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But the Liberal Democrats have vowed to block the move, with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg confirming yesterday that his party would vote against the scheme in House of Commons.

Mr Knight, who has represented East Yorkshire since 2001, said: "To have divided up the East Riding, ignoring geographical, commercial and social ties that exist between constituencies, would have been madness. I am delighted that the Boundary Commission has listened to our arguments."

And Mr Stuart, who has represented the Beverley and Holderness seat since 2005, said: "We both welcome this revised proposal, which means no local electoral disruption and the two seats of Beverley and Holderness and East Yorkshire are rightly to be left intact."

The Boundary Commission, however, is still proposing radical changes to the constituencies held by Tory MPs David Davis and Andrew Percy, who faced a showdown at the next election.

Mr Percy said: "It's all fairly academic because the boundary changes are highly unlikely to go through. However, the revised proposals do make more sense from a community point of view."

Meanwhile, Hull North MP Diana Johnson attacked the Government for spending £12m of taxpayers' money on a review that is now unlikely to be implemented.

Questioning the Deputy Prime Minister in the House of Commons, she said: "If the £12m spent on the Boundary Review now appears to have been wasted, from what he has said about what the Lib Dems will now do, added to the £100m the Coalition has wasted on the West Coast rail franchise, has this been a good few weeks for Whitehall waste?"

David Davis was not available for comment about the Boundary Commission changes.