AFTER the publication of the Boundary Review proposals last week, and following up on my comments in the Penarth Times on the matter (September 15), I thought I would share my thoughts more fully in this week’s column.

This is the second time in five years that significant changes have been proposed – the first having been abandoned - and it is clear to me that they are being driven largely by a partisan Conservative agenda to damage Labour's prospects, and to reduce the representation of Wales in Westminster.

I have no issues with equalising the number of constituents per constituency. Indeed Cardiff South and Penarth is currently the largest constituency by numbers in Wales.

However I do have two major concerns:

It is utterly unacceptable in my view to be conducting a review based on the heavily under-registered December 2015 electoral roll (after Tory reforms which have seen millions – especially young and BAME people - drop off the register). It is completely out of sync with the current register – not least because of the very high registration levels for the EU referendum in June. This particularly affects the numbers for seats in Cardiff.

It is also unacceptable in my view to be cutting numbers in the democratically elected House of Commons, while at the same time further increasing the size of the unelected House of Lords, and stuffing it with new political cronies, the majority of whom are Conservatives.

The draft maps published last week will now be consulted on for 12 weeks, before the Commissions re-examine their proposals and publish new ones in late 2017 or early 2018. I would encourage you to have your say on whether you think they are right – and not just for us locally.

There is of course a lot of chatter in the media and online about clashes, MPs losing seats, and advantages and disadvantages for the various parties – no surprise there. But the reality is that the first and second maps were significantly different the last time this process happened, and it is simply far too early to speculate on the final arrangements at this stage – or if they will even go ahead.

In the meantime I will continue with my job representing and working for all the people in Cardiff South and Penarth, and fighting for Labour victories in the Vale and Cardiff Council elections next year.

You can read the boundary proposals for Wales at http://bcomm-wales.gov.uk