Change out of bounds

Oct 23 2008 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

PLANS to change parliamentary boundaries in West Lothian have been opposed by the county’s local authority.

Executive councillor for development and transport Martyn Day and chief legal officer Gordon Blair gave evidence at a Boundary Commission for Scotland local inquiry.

The council expressed strong objections to a proposal to include Whitburn and Fauldhouse in a new Lanark, Shotts and Whitburn constituency along with parts of North and South Lanarkshire.

The authority argued that the communities of Whitburn, Fauldhouse and Longridge have no historical affinity or social links with those parts of North and South Lanarkshire with which it has been joined in this constituency; there was strong feeling locally in these communities against the proposals; West Lothian has much stronger links with Edinburgh than with the west and already shares a parliamentary constituency with Falkirk to the north.

The council’s opposition to the proposal for this constituency was mirrored in the submissions by the main political parties, and in the submission made by the Electoral Reform Society, which called it a "Frankenstein monster."

Various interested parties submitted evidence during the local inquiry for South West and Central Scotland, which was heard over six days at Airdrie, Ayr and Lanark.

West Lothian would be divided between three new parliamentary constituencies under Boundary Commission review proposals.

“There is unanimous opposition to the Boundary Commission's proposals from all parties,” said Councillor Day.