Belfast ‘facing election battle under proposed boundary changes’

Belfast could be set for an election battle if it loses a Westminster constituency under proposed new changes from the Boundary Commission.

The suggestions put forward would see the city reduced from four constituencies with MPs to three, paving the way for new wards called Belfast East, Belfast North West and Belfast South West.

That would raise the prospect of an election confrontation between high profile nationalists and unionists in the new north and west constituencies.

The move would see NI’s MPs reduced from 18 to 17 as part of an overall effort to reduce the numbers of MPs at Westminster from 650 to 600 by the time of the next scheduled election in May 2020.

Outside of Belfast, six new constituencies are being created, provisionally called Dalriada, Glenshane, North Tyrone, Upper Bann and Blackwater, West Antrim and West Down.

Another eight would retain their names - East Antrim, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Foyle, Newry and Armagh, North Down, South Antrim, South Down, and Strangford - but see slight changes to boundaries.

Professor Peter Shirlow, Blair Chair and director of the Institute of Irish Studies in the University of Liverpool, said the boundary changes in north and west Belfast will lead to a fierce contest between Sinn Fein and the DUP in the next election.

"It will almost certainly make the contest tighter," he said.

The initial proposals having been put forward, the public will have a chance to have their say on the changes, with the final draft not due until October 2018.

Deputy chairman of the Commission, the Honourable Madam Justice McBride urged people to engage with the review.

"Maintaining public confidence in an open, transparent and accessible review process is an important part of the Commission's approach,” she said.

“Anyone with an interest in the review is encouraged to contribute to this consultation," she said.

Four public hearings are planned during October in Ballymena, Omagh, Belfast and Portadown.

A DUP spokesperson, which has MP Nigel Dodds representing Belfast North currently, said they were examining the proposals.

"There are very significant changes here and we will have to study them and take a view over time where the party stands," he said.

Sinn Fein MLA Alex Maskey called for Stormont to be given the powers to determine election issues and also questioned why census data is not used instead of the electoral register from last December.

"Clearly this is a substantial piece of work proposing significant changes and will require a detailed response," he said.

A spokesman for the SDLP said: "We have received the suggested changes to constituency boundaries from the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland and the party will be examining these proposals in the time ahead."