The 1,077 year old border between Cornwall and England will remain un-breached for at least 5 more years after the unelected House of Lords MPs voted with a majority of 42 to delay a decision on redrawing boundaries across the UK until after the next election after a coalition split.
Liberal Democrat Lord Robin Teverson, the former MEP for Cornwall and West Plymouth, said: “Cornwall has a very important self-identity”. “When a government tries to change that within a political context then frankly it doesn’t work.”
The proposal was to reduce the number of MPs across the country by 50 to 600, with each of them representing about 76,000 people.
Liberal Democrats had already indicated they would vote against the legislation, in retaliation for Conservatives de-railing reform of the House of Lords. Labour and the SNP and Plaid Cyrmu are also reported to have also voted against.
Ahead of the vote, Cornwall Lib Dem MP Stephen Gilbert said it would be “disappointing to say the least” if Tory MPs from the Duchy refused to join their rebellion”.
“We are naturally delighted by the resounding rejection of the Conservative proposals to push forward with a Devonwall constituency for the 2015 elections. These proposals were flawed and failed to take into account Cornwall’s cultural, historical and political border of the Tamar”, said Mebyon Kernow Deputy Leader, Andrew Long, following the vote.
Cornwall24.net reporter 31 January, 2013
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