Highland boundary changes would damage democracy, says council leader
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PLANNED changes to UK parliamentary constituencies in the Highlands would have "a damaging effect on democracy."
That is the message delivered to the Boundary Commission for Scotland by Highland Council leader, Margaret Davidson. She has urged the commission to "engage constructively" with the local authority to "develop proposals which better reflect the needs of the Highlands."
Under the proposals a Highland North seat would replace Caithness, Sutherland and easter Ross and stretch from John O'Groats in the north to Drumnadrochit in the south. It would gain a large portion of Wester Ross including, Ullapool, Garve and Torridon, as well as Dingwall and the Black Isle. The new seat would be over 12,000 square kilometres and be the largest constituency in the UK. A Highland Central seat would also be created and include Ross, Skye and Lochaber.
Highland Council leader, Margaret Davidson, has written to the commission highlighting the unanimous opposition of councillors to the proposals in the 2023 Review of UK Parliament Constituencies.
In her letter, councillor Davidson, outlined a number of areas of concern and said: "It was felt that these proposals would have a damaging effect on democracy and representation for the Highlands and did not give sufficient consideration to the rurality of the Highlands, a council area larger than Belgium."
She claims there is "a real need to grant protected status" for the Highlands similar to the island constituencies of Orkney and Shetland and Na h- Eileanan an Iar.
"The proposals would significantly curtail an MPs’ ability to be visible and engage with constituents which given the existing size of the constituencies was already challenging. To create a constituency over 12,000 square kilometres as being proposed for Highland North is simply unreasonable."
Mrs Davidson said the proposals are "predominantly focused on numbers and did not consider the very real geographical issues facing a large rural area such as Highland."
She said: "Members felt that future boundaries should reflect local community ties, council and ward boundaries and not cut through these ties simply to fulfil a numbers exercise. Specifically, there was very little relationship between Badenoch and Strathspey and Elgin. Equally, members did not support transferring part of the Ardnamurchan ward to Argyll and Bute Council.
"Members felt that there should be a fundamental review of the methodology and approach used by the Boundary Commission for Scotland," she added.
As previously reported, Caithness, Sutherland and easter Ross MP, Jamie Stone, described plans to create a Highland North constituency as "stark raving bonkers."
The proposed new seat would see the electorate of the constituency rising from 46,924 to 76,654 – an increase of 29,730 constituents.
The Liberal Democrat politician said it would take around three hours to drive from one end of the new constituency to the other and added: "In order to properly serve the electorate, MPs must be able to visit all parts of the area they represent and constituents must have the ability to access their MP. It is hard to see how that would be possible in a constituency like Highland North.
"Ultimately, this proposal threatens democratic participation for people in the north of Scotland."
