A new ‘cross-county’ MP could soon be part of Norfolk’s political landscape, as part of a proposed shake-up to the region’s Westminster constituencies.
Under proposals to re-draw the political map of Britain, the Boundary Commission is suggesting the creation of a ‘Waveney Valley’ constituency, centred around Diss and including the southern part of Norfolk and the northern part of Suffolk.
It would comprise parts of Richard Bacon’s South Norfolk seat, Peter Aldous’ Waveney seat, Therese Coffey's Suffolk Coastal seat and Dr Dan Poulter’s Central Suffolk and North Ipswich seat.
As well as Diss, the new constituency would include Bungay, Harleston, Halesworth and Eye.
And the new constituency would not be the only change in Norfolk.
Under the proposals, Wymondham would be transferred from George Freeman’s Mid Norfolk seat to Mr Bacon’s, to compensate for him losing Diss and Harleston.
Drayton, which lies just north-west of Norwich, would be transferred from Jerome Mayhew’s Broadland seat to Chloe Smith’s Norwich North constituency.
Mr Mayhew’s constituency would be renamed ‘Broadland and Fakenham’, to reflect the fact that Fakenham is not covered by Broadland District Council.
There had been an earlier proposal to transfer Fakenham over to Duncan Baker’s North Norfolk constituency, but that proposal has been scrapped, as has the proposal to transfer Stalham and Hickling from Mr Baker’s seat to Brandon Lewis’ Great Yarmouth constituency.
Thorpe Hamlet, just east of the city centre, would meanwhile be retained by Norwich South MP Clive Lewis after an initial version of the proposals suggested transferring the area over to Ms Smith’s seat.
Ms Smith had argued during a hearing earlier this year that the area was better suited to Mr Lewis’s constituency because it included landmarks like the railway station and cathedral, which meant it was closer to the urban character of his seat.
Former prime minister Liz Truss’s South West Norfolk constituency would be slightly shrunk, losing some of the countryside between Thetford and Attleborough to Mr Freeman’s re-drawn seat.
A third and final consultation on the new map of revised constituency proposals is open now until December 5.
The public is invited to view and comment on the new map at https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/
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