Ministers 'to delay vote' on major boundaries overhaul amid Brexit splits

Plans to drastically slash the number of MPs in Britain will reportedly be put on the backburner today amid fears a vote could trigger fresh Tory splits.



The Government is set to publish a report by the Boundary Commission, which has recommended cutting the number of parliamentary constituencies from 650 and 600.

The review also plans to make constituencies more equal in size, with similar numbers of voters in each seat.

But The Times reports that ministers will not table a vote on the changes because of concerns that it could allow Brexiteer critics of the Government to inflict a defeat.

Although Labour has accused the Government of using the proposals to launch a "power grab", some Tory MPs, including prominent Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Priti Patel, could see their seats either abolished or have their majorities slashed under the plans.

Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis last week vowed to press ahead with the plans, saying they would stop Britain from having "the most out-of-date boundaries in modern political history".

But a Conservative source told the paper: "The last thing that any government would want is a vote on this amid all the Brexit shenanigans."

Speaking ahead of the report's presentation to Parliament, Boundary Commission secretary Sam Hartley, said: "We're confident that the new map of constituencies best reflects the rules set for us by Parliament and we're especially pleased that our recommendations are based heavily on what members of the public have told us about their local areas.

"It is now up to the government to present our report to Parliament, and we look forward to being able to publish our recommendations once that has happened."