Changes to MP’s Constituency boundaries set to take effect after 2024 will affect those of us living in Willenhall.

Check out the proposals for the West Midlands as outlined in the Express and Star https://bit.ly/3ipbJrP

Everything to the West of the M6 will merge into one of two Wolverhampton constituencies. Willenhall North and Short Heath will move from Walsall North into Wolverhampton North East. Willenhall South and Darlaston will move into Wolverhampton South East.

Just to confuse things, all three Willenhall Council Wards – Willenhall North, South and Short Heath, remain with Walsall MBC. Is this a good thing (there are many I suspect who would say yes) or is it a bad thing? One thing for certain is that Willenhall, not for the first time, will be out on a limb.

Looking at the wider picture, the West Midlands and the North lose constituencies so will have fewer MPs, whilst the South gains. Wales looses 8 constituencies and Scotland loses 2. What does that tell you? Political power shifts away from the Midlands, the North, Wales and Scotland to London and the South. It also carves-up the map nicely between the two largest parties

In all of this talk about making constituency sizes more equal, our Democratic voice gets weaker, and not once is there a mention of keeping communities together, the one thing we were all thankful for during the Pandemic.  People are lumped together whether they like it or not, no longer citizens of somewhere, helping one another when times are tough, now just a commodity.

It’s time we all woke up to what’s going on. When change comes from the top down, those in control at the centre become more remote and therefor more powerful. It’s not boundary changes we need, it’s how and where decisions are made that matters. Decisions should be made as close as possible to those that are affected. Decision making needs to be devolved to the 9 English Regions to put us on the same footing as the other Home Nations, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.