MP Shailesh Vara reacts as towns to be removed from his constituency

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara has said he is ‘sorry’ to be losing thousands of constituents after voting boundaries were re-drawn.

The North West Cambridgeshire constituency includes much of Peterborough south of the River Nene, as well as more rural areas outside the city boundaries.

However, at the next election a number of towns will be moved out of the constituency, and into a new Huntingdon constituency.

The North West Cambridgeshire patch is currently one of the biggest in the country.

Conservative MP Mr Vara said: “I look forward to continuing to represent all the people in the new North West Cambridgeshire constituency, and welcome those who are to be included in it.

“I am sorry to be losing some 20,000 electors in the south. My current constituency has one of the largest electorates in the country and the changes have meant losing four wards to the new Huntingdon constituency.

“It has been a privilege to represent the residents in the wards of Sawtry, Warboys, Somersham and Needingworth and Holywell and I am sorry to be losing them and wish them well for the future.

“In the meantime, I will of course continue to represent everyone to the best of my ability until the next general election."

The Boundary Commission had looked at the possibility of redrawing the North West Cambridgeshire and Peterborough constituencies, and re-naming them as Peterborough North and Peterborough South – however, they have rejected the plans.They said: “We investigated the proposal that sought to transfer the Fletton & Woodston ward to the Peterborough constituency, and the Eye, Thorney & Newborough ward to the North West Cambridgeshire constituency. We are not persuaded by the evidence received to adopt this proposal. We are particularly concerned that it would result in the North West Cambridgeshire being geographically odd in shape, given it would wrap around the northern part of Peterborough.”

They added: “Finally, we are not minded to amend the name of either the Peterborough or North West Cambridgeshire constituencies. We consider the names of both are representative of the areas represented in each.”