A PUBLIC inquiry is to be held into the Boundary Commission's
proposals to change the parliamentary map of Strathclyde. However,
reaction from political parties who have clamoured for a review since
November was remarkably muted yesterday.
Their near silence may be explained by the desire of Labour and Tory
party senior managers to keep disgruntled activists in line during the
run-up to the inquiry opening on May 10.
Internal battles since the commission recommended the number of
Strathclyde constituencies should be cut from 33 to 32 -- with boundary
changes threatening other sitting MPs -- have clearly not been resolved.
Party managers now have to fine-tune a balancing act between the
survival of individual MPs or electoral gain as a whole before
submissions to the inquiry before Sheriff Principal Robert Hay, the
assistant commissioner.
Labour's quandary is perhaps worst. It not only faces losing a Glasgow
seat but there is an unexpected danger to leader John Smith. His
Monklands East seat is now in SNP sights because of the commission's
provisional recommendation that it be abolished and turned into a
hybrid, combining half of Cumbernauld and half of Airdrie.
If approved, Labour could face the embarrassing prospect of Mr Smith
trying to dislodge colleague Norman Hogg in an adjoining Kilsyth seat,
and, in turn, facing a challenge from Mr Sam Galbraith, whose
Strathkelvin and Bearsden seat is in jeopardy under the proposed
boundary changes.
The commission's bid to create Scottish seats averaging around 55,000
electors has caused bickering and serious splits in Labour ranks in
Glasgow, expected to drop one seat, from 11 to 10.
Such a loss -- with Mr Mike Watson's Central seat or Mr George
Galloway's Hillhead seat the likely casualty -- could provoke a
challenge for another city seat from the MP who loses out.
Contests will be open under Labour's new one-man, one-vote rules, with
additional pressure expected from the women's section to contest at
least one constituency unchallenged.
The party could face more internal strife if the go-ahead is given to
transfer Linwood from Mr Tommy Graham's marginal Renfrew West and
Inverclyde into Paisley North, held by Mrs Irene Adams.
A Labour spokesman said only that the party was sorry to lose a
Glasgow seat. Candidate selection would not arise until after the
inquiry's findings. He confirmed representations will be made with
regard to proposed changes in Mr Smith's seat.
The Tories, with just two Strathclyde MPs, have been campaigning loud
and long that the commission has ''failed miserably'' in Strathclyde.
Yesterday, however, a Tory spokesman said only that the party ''will be
taking a full part in the inquiry''. It is understood the Conservatives
will argue at least three seats should be lost in Glasgow because of a
falling population.
It is also expected to lodge protests about Ayr, where MP Phil
Gallie's 85-majority is at risk, and even Strathkelvin and Bearsden --
restored to a Tory marginal under commission proposals, but with part of
Bearsden moved into Clydebank and Milngavie.
The SNP welcomed the inquiry as a means of the commission taking
further soundings from the public about its plans, ''in stark contrast
to the cavalier way the Tories are gerrymandering local government
boundaries and taking Scotland's water out of local control''.
The Lib Dems said individual branches would give evidence as it
affects their own constituencies.
No timescale has been set for the inquiry in the City Halls, Glasgow,
where representations about Glasgow constituencies will be heard first.
Any interested person may attend and be heard.
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