Conservatives accused of 'power grab' as plan to slash number of MPs is published

Detailed plans of how to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600 have been dismissed as "an undemocratic power grab" by Labour.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is among those who would see their constituencies disappear under the changes proposed by the Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scotland would have 53 constituencies, down from 59.

David Cameron first proposed the change in the Conservatives' 2010 election manifesto, arguing that it would mean constituencies were all roughly the same size while also cutting the cost of the Commons, but it was abandoned in 2013 after the Liberal Democrats withdrew their support.

Under the proposals published today, the number of English MPs would be cut from 533 to 501, while in Scotland the number would fall from 59 to 53, in Wales from 40 to 29 and in Northern Ireland from 18 to 17.

It is estimated that Labour could lose 20 MPs as a result of the reforms, prompting Cat Smith, the shadow minister for voter engagement, to accuse the Government of trying to game the system.

She said: "These final boundary recommendations are nothing but an undemocratic power grab by this Tory government. With no plans to reduce the number of ministers, the Government is weakening the role of Parliament and creating unprecedented levels of executive dominance at the expense of backbenchers, when Parliament is meant to be taking back control.

"Cutting the number of MPs by 50 as we prepare to leave the European Union is further proof this government is clamouring to tighten its grip on power. With the workload of MPs set to rise after Brexit, with thousands of pieces of important legislation expected to come through Parliament, it would be utterly ludicrous to go ahead with these boundary changes."

It was reported today that ministers had ditched plans for the proposals to be voted on this year over fears they could suffer a major rebellion.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister would only say that the changes would be voted on by MPs "in due course".

But appearing before MPs last week, constitutional affairs minister Chloe Smith admitted it would be "months" before the plans return to the Commons.

She said: "After the reports have been laid before Parliament, the Government will bring forward a draft Order in Council to give effect to the recommendations contained in the reports.

"The order will, as a matter of fact, be a complex and lengthy statutory instrument. It will take months to prepare, because it needs to transcribe the entirety of those four boundary commission reports. Needless to say, we would all wish that work to be accurate."

Analysis by Plymouth University suggested the new bounderies would have given Theresa May a 16-seat overall majority at the last election.