INITIAL proposals to split the Isle of Wight into two constituencies have been revealed.
The Boundary Commission for England has published its initial proposals to redraw constituencies across the country, to ensure they are more equally balanced in terms of voter numbers.
It would see major changes to the parliamentary map, with England set to gain ten additional seats at the expense of Wales, which is due to lose eight, and Scotland, which will be down two.
Of the 533 existing English constituencies, fewer than ten per cent will remain unchanged under the proposals.
Some Island constituencies, such as the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Anglesey, have been granted special dispensation to be outside the population remit.
However the Isle of Wight, which currently has the biggest electorate, will go from one constituency, to two — East and West.
It means the Island will be represented by two MPs.
While the West is a much larger area geographically, the East area encompasses Shanklin, Sandown, Brading, Ryde, Wootton, East Cowes, and part of Newport.
By law, the commission is required to draw up seats with 69,724 to 77,062 electors – a condition which it said meant that widespread change was “inevitable”.
The commission stressed that the proposals, which open for an initial eight-week public consultation period, were provisional.
It is not due to make its final recommendations to Parliament until July 2023.
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