Clydebank's MP could soon be representing the town's Yoker neighbours under new boundary proposals.

The Boundary Commission for Scotland has launched an eight-week public consultation on the idea, which would see Glasgow's Yoker become part of the West Dunbartonshire Westminster constituency.

In 2017, the independent commission proposed adding Bearsden to the constituency, which currently shares the same borders as the local authority. The idea, which was slammed by the area's MP Martin Docherty-Hughes, was ultimately scrapped.

Overall, Scotland looks set to lose two MPs as the number falls from 59 to 57.

The review of boundaries is meant to ensure each constituency has between 70,000 and 77,000 potential voters - unless the area would cover more than 12,000 square kilometres.

In December 2019, the size of the registered electorate in West Dunbartonshire was 65,469. That rose to more than 67,000 as of last December, but is still below the range set by the Boundary Commission.

Mr Docherty-Hughes has been approached for comment.

Already, the suggestion to add Yoker to West Dunbartonshire's MP coverage has been met with scepticism.

Councillor Eva Murray, who represents Yoker in the Garscadden and Scoutstounhill ward, called the plans "bizarre".

Cllr Murray said: "Me to the person who thought it was a good & sensible idea to propose moving Yoker out of the Glasgow boundary for the Westminster constituency. Like I cannot express how much this just doesn’t make sense…"

 

 

Former Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson said: "I’ve lived through a number of these exercises but this must be the worst! Moving Yoker into West Dunbartonshire would be crazy and wrong. A constituency stretching from Robroyston to Govanhill is also bizarre."

Meanwhile, Glasgow North West, apart from losing Yoker, would be renamed Glasgow West - the name it held before the last Boundary Commission changes in 2017.

Changes, if approved by the UK Parliament, would aim to be in place for an expected 2024 General Election.

Lord Matthews, deputy chair of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, said: "I believe this is a promising start to delivering the requirements of the new rules that mean the number of constituencies in Scotland will reduce from 59 to 57, and that each mainland constituency must have broadly the same number of electors.

"We have set out proposals which we believe, a good implementation of the rules set by Parliament.

"We now want to hear the views of the public. We will reflect on responses to the consultation and make changes where appropriate and where the legislation allows us to do so."

The public consultation will run until Wednesday, December 8.