A loss of nearly 150,000 people from the voter register across London has injected new turmoil into the Government’s plan to redraw the boundaries of MPs’ constituencies.
An analysis of new data reveals that “vanishing voters” resulted in eight MPs who felt they were safe from a boundary review being moved on to a hit list.
Those whose seats are now deemed “too small” include Boris Johnson, whose Uxbridge constituency has seen the number of registered voters slump from 71,954 at the last review in 2011 to just 66,606 now — a loss of 5,348.
Another high-profile victim is Chuka Umunna because Streatham’s voter roll has gone down by 1,627, from 71,913 to 70,286. A senior London MP branded the boundaries review “a farce”. Emily Thornberry said the population in her north London seat was rising.
“For many London MPs, the boundary review process is falling into complete disrepute,” said Ms Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South & Finsbury.
“The number of residents we represent is going up every year yet, because many of them can’t register to vote, the population in constituencies like mine is deemed to be getting smaller.” Big names facing boundary reviews even before the new voter numbers include Jeremy Corbyn, Iain Duncan Smith, Justine Greening, John McDonnell, David Lammy and Heidi Alexander.
“It’s a farce,” said Ms Thornberry. “David Cameron says the review is designed to make our electoral system fairer and more democratic. These figures show it is doing the opposite.”
The voting rolls fall follows a government decision to bring in individual registration. Previously, one member of a household could register all eligible voters but now each person has to do it themselves. Analysts say those in rented flats are less likely to register.
The Boundary Commission, which will redraw the map for the Government, said it was obliged by law to base its decisions on the December 2015 voting registers.
A spokesman said it was not allowed to consider claims that actual population levels had changed.
The Prime Minister ordered the re- view to even out constituency sizes.
The Cabinet Office said: “Equalising their size means everyone’s vote will carry equal weight. The Government is delivering on its commitment to reduce the number of MPs to 600 to cut the cost of politics and is tackling the scope for electoral fraud.”
