PLANS to change parliamentary boundaries will axe 10 Welsh MPs at Westminster.
The Boundary Commission for Wales has published a report proposing a revised constituency map, intentionally made to cut the number of MPs in North Wales from 40 to 30.
The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act (2011) requires a reduction in the number of constituencies from 650 to 600, and for every UK constituency to have an electorate within the range of 72,810 to 80,473.
Labour Clwyd South MP, Susan Elan Jones who will be fighting for her seat is against the boundary changes, claims the changes wil benefit the Conservatives.
“The changes are wrong in that it is about the Tory-led Government trying to gerrymander the system for their own electoral advantage,” said Ms Jones.
“It is also profoundly anti-Welsh in that it will mean that we in Wales lose a quarter of our MPs.
“Even at this late stage, Tories and Lib Dems can stop this change going through when the Commons votes on the issue,” she added.
The result will be a fundamental change to the existing pattern of constituencies in every part of Wales, and is the biggest single change to Wales since the Boundary Commission was created in the Second World War, 1944.
Towns and villages currently in Clwyd South, Clwyd West and certain places in the Vale of Clwyd will join as one constituency, along with towns from outside of Denbighshire giving the ward 74,554 voters.
The proposed name for this new ward is Glyndwr and North Powys, which will stretch from Llangernyw in Conwy to Welshpool - a 70 mile drive taking an hour and 43 minutes.
The proposed constituency is geographically large (2,227 km2) and covers parts of four unitary authorities, which reflects the sparse population and rural nature of the area.
St Asaph and the communities of Cwm, Tremeirchion and Waen, which are currently in the Vale Clwyd, will join Delyn and the proposed name for the new ward is the Dee Estuary.
“It is a bad day for Wales especially bad for North Wales, which will see 11 seats fall to seven,” said Chris Ruane, Labour MP for Vale of Clwyd.
“Denbighshire is a nice compact constituency, the changes do not make any sense to me or to my constituents.
“It is only 14 miles at the moment, a nice size so I can visit all the schools and loads of events, but whoever gets this new constituency will find it very hard,” he added.
Elsewhere, Bala will join part of Montgomeryshire, Arfon and Aberconwy to become a new constituency called Gwynedd, with 73,297 electors.
“If the idea was to create a favourable seat for Plaid Cymru, then they have indeed succeeded in doing so, however, I doubt whether this was the intention,” said Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru MP for Bala.
“I do have my misgivings regarding the size of this constituency - a factor which would make it more difficult for constituents to contact their MP or meet them more frequently at surgeries.
“Another issue is the intended designation of parts of Conwy and Montgomeryshire as 'Gwynedd'.
“This will no doubt be a challenging constituency for any candidate, yet one that Plaid Cymru intends to contest with confidence,” Mr Llwyd added.
Ben Whitestone, secretary to the Boundary Commission, said: “I would emphasise that these are initial proposals and I very much hope that members of the public will participate in the process of consultation which now begins.”
The proposals are open to public consultation over the next 12 weeks, closing on April 4. If confirmed the new boundaries will take effect in time for the next General Election scheduled for 2015.
A public hearing will be held at Glyndwr University, Wrexham on February 29 to March 1.
Those who wish to make an oral representation at these hearings must contact the commission by email at: bcomm.wales@wales.gsi.gov.uk or by phone on 02920 395031.