Chancellor battles boundary threat
Chancellor Gordon Brown may have to fight for his political life underproposals to axe around 15 of 72 Scottish constituencies as a consequence of devolution.
But not for another eight years or so.
The chancellor’s Dunfermline East constituency could vanish under proposals which the Scottish Boundaries Commission are expected to publish within weeks.
The changes are unlikely to take effect until after the next generalelection – which means that under normal expectations he is ‘safe’ until at least 2009.
Under the possible changes, Brown’s Dunfermline East could be mergedwith neighbouring Dunfermline West and Kircaldy – resulting in aselection contest sometime after the next general election between Brown and MPs Rachel Squire or Lewis Moonie.
Present constituency sizes in Scotland are smaller that those inEngland, giving Scotland over-representation at Westminster. Some are thought not to be needed following the creation of the Scottish Parliament.
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