Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West Greg Mulholland, has today, following the official withdrawal of Lords reform proposals by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, called, on the floor of the House of Commons, on the Prime Minister, David Cameron, to follow the DPM‘s example and announce that the boundary change proposals will now not be going ahead.

In a statement to the House of Commons today, Nick Clegg stated that Ministers had sought but failed to build a consensus on the proposed changes, but had accepted that they would not be successful in getting them through, as a result of a large number of Conservative MPs and the Labour Party opposing reform plans. Following this, LibDem Leader Clegg made clear that he would instruct Liberal Democrat MPs to oppose the proposed boundary changes. This means that the boundary changes will not go through and rather than unnecessarily waste considerable amounts of taxpayers’ money having the Boundary Commission continue to work up revised proposals, it would make much more sense to similarly drop the whole proposal rather than carry on, knowing that the necessary vote in autumn 2013 would be lost.

Commented, Greg Mulholland said:

“Following the announcement today by Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, that the Lords reform proposals have now been officially withdrawn, the Prime Minister David Cameron should follow Nick’s example and announce that the now doomed boundary changes will also not be proceeded with, which will prevent any further cost to the taxpayer.

“The Deputy Prime Minister did the sensible and dignified thing in accepting the reality, that the Government’s proposals for House of Lords reform would not succeed in this Parliament which saved huge amounts of uncertainty and precious parliamentary time. Now the Prime Minister should follow theDeputy Prime Minister‘s example, admit that the boundary changes are also a dead duck and that the process should be brought to a halt to prevent any further tax payers money being wasted on these plans which are now not going to happen.”

“It is time for all Liberal Democrat and Conservative MPs to accept both these things will not be happening this parliament – which they clearly won’t – and instead concentrate on getting the economy back on track. The Prime Minister can help this by facing the fact that there will be no constituency boundary changes this Parliament. Nick Clegg has shown real leadership on this and I hope the Prime Minister will also”.