Northern Ireland is set to lose an MP, and some sitting representatives may find themselves under pressure as a result of proposed boundary changes published last evening.
Belfast will lose a constituency, while a number of constituencies are to be scrapped, including East Derry and West Tyrone. The bulk of East Derry will be in the new Glenshane constituency, while West Tyrone will become part of a larger North Tyrone constituency, which takes in part of the former Mid-Ulster.
A number of sitting MPs could be under pressure, with Gregory Campbell believed to be in particular difficulty. The new Glenshane constituency would incorporate Magherafelt, a strong nationalist area, while losing Coleraine to the new Dalriada constiuency in North Antrim.
John Dallat, a former SDLP MLA in East Derry who served a term as Deputy Speaker at Stormont, retired before the last assembly election.
He says these proposals raise some very interesting scenarios, and should spark a wider debate about electoral politics in Northern Ireland………
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