The current Stone constituency will disappear under proposals unveiled by the Boundary Commission, with the town joining Newcastle-under-Lyme in a brand new constituency.
The new Newcastle-under-Lyme & Stone seat is set to replace the current Stone constituency, which also includes Cheadle, with the Moorlands town joining a new Staffordshire Moorlands constituency.
The new constituency could see Stone Conservative MP Bill Cash and Newcastle’s Labour MP Paul Farrelly battling it out at the next General Election.
The Boundary Commission for England periodically reviews the boundaries of all the Parliamentary constituencies in England. It is currently carrying out a review after Parliament decided to reduce the number of constituencies in England from 533 to 502. Its initial proposals were published on Tuesday 13th September.
Under these initial proposals, the Stone wards of Barlaston & Oulton, Fulford, St Michael’s, Stonefield & Christchurch, Swynnerton and Walton would join 12 Newcastle wards to form a new Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stone constituency.
The current review does not affect local government boundaries, with Stone’s wards remaining under Stafford Borough Council and the existing town and parish councils.
The first stage of a major consultation process starts on Tuesday 13th September and the Boundary Commission wants your views. Log on to the Boundary Commission consultation website from 13th September to have your say (until 5th December) and for lots more information about the review.
A public hearing to discuss the initial proposals for Staffordshire will also be held in Stafford at the Peel Building in St Chad’s Place on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th November.
What do you think about being represented at Parliament by an MP who covers Stone AND Newcastle? Does our town have more in common with Newcastle than Cheadle or other parts of the current constituency?
6 comments
Richard Stevens
Now that I’ve got the above out of the way, this proposal is fascinating. I’ve voted in so many different constituencies, I’m losing track. Staffford and Stone in the 60’s (MP was Sir Hugh Fraser who was assasinated by an IRA car bomb), Mid Staffs (won by Sylvia Heal for Labour in a by election after Cash hopped over the border to a safer seat) then the current Stone and now a new Newcastle and Stone! Just proves a point that we get tagged onto whatever is left after the other seats have been sorted out.
However this proposal does have some merit. At the moment the Stone constituency is a rag bag. It stretches from near Alton Towers in the north east to the outskirts of Newport in the south west and from Madeley in the north west almost down to Rugeley in the south east. So a more sensible geographic proposal is to be welcomed.
The interest arises however in the political implications. Stone is solid Conservative – Newcastle has always been Labour. Whilst the new seat will, I suspect, still favour the Tories, Labour and the Libdems have much stronger party organisations in Newcastle and my fervent hope is that those two parties will support and encourage the Stone activists in their ranks to put up some proper opposition to Cash.
Interesting times ahead!
Nick Gumbley
The bomb exploded prematurely, and Sir Hugh Fraser was not killed, however an eminent cancer researcher Professor Gordon Hamilton-Frasier was killed by the bomb. Hugh Fraser died of cancer in March 1984.Thanks to Wikipedia.
Richard Stevens
Oh my goodness. Apologies all round. How the mind goes when you get to my age!
Richard Stevens
As far as I can see, this is pure speculation at the moment unless you know something that isn’t on the BC’s website yet! Indeed if you read the Sentinel article at https://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Tory-MP-lose-seat-proposed-boundary-shake/story-12723372-detail/story.html Stone is set to merge with Leek!
Richard Stevens
Please accept my very sincere apologies! You obviously did know more. That will teach me not to impugn your sources! Great that A Litttle Bit was ahead of the pack on this one.