St Albans will increase its UK parliamentary constituency size from 71,320 to 77,182 under new proposals from the Boundary Commission England (BCE).
After parliament’s decision in 2011 to reduce the number of constituencies from 650 to 600, and to make elector numbers more equal in each constituency, BCE have now made their proposals which will be consulted upon.
St Albans MP, Anne Main, said, ‘I welcome these very sensible, rational, and long overdue proposals. It can’t be right that we’ve got ourselves into a situation whereby some MPs are representing three-times as many voters as others.
‘It is absolutely right that we should bear down on the cost of politics where possible, and equalising the size of constituencies is fair and sensible.
‘I’m delighted that the vast majority of my constituents will remain within the seat of St Albans. I have embedded relationships with residents all over the constituency, so it’s great that this will remain largely unchanged.’
St Albans constituency will now consist of electors from Leavesden and Abbots Langley, while voters on Primrose Hill, Station Road and Lower road near Kings Langley will be incorporated by neighbouring Hemel Hempstead.
The BCE will now consult on these proposals and report back in 2018. If agreed by parliament, the new constituencies will be in use at the next General Election in 2020.