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Labour would have fewer than 200 seats for first time since the 1920s, according to boundary change analysis

Jeremy Corbyn's party has accused the Tories of rigging the boundary changes

Jeremy Corbyn

THERESA May would win a commanding majority at the next general election while Labour would struggle to get 200 MPs, analysis of the proposed boundary changes shows.

Political website Electoral Calculus has found the Tories are set to win in 2020 with a majority of 100 seats.

 The analysis does not make easy reading for Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party
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The analysis does not make easy reading for Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour PartyCredit: Getty Images
 The Boundary Commission favours reducing the number of MPs in the House of Commons from 650 to 600
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The Boundary Commission favours reducing the number of MPs in the House of Commons from 650 to 600Credit: Getty Images

They would hold 349 seats in the House of Commons while Jeremy Corbyn’s party would have just 176.

If the Electoral Calculus analysis is correct then this would be the first time Labour would have fewer than 200 MPs since the 1920s, based on opinion polls and the boundary changes review.

Electoral expert Martin Baxter, the founder of Electoral Calculus, said Corbyn has just a 6% chance of winning the next general election with an outright majority.

This is compared to May’s 76% chance.

The Boundary Commission, which reviews and advises on parliamentary boundaries, favours reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

Any changes will not be finalised until September 2018 at the earliest.

Boundaries are shaken up to try and make all constituencies have a similar population size – with exemptions for the Highlands and Islands.

The reduction in the number of constituencies will leave MPs scrabbling to keep their jobs – and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said for his party this will include them all having to re-apply for their posts.

Launching his leadership campaign last month he said there would be a “full selection process” in every seat before 2020 once a review of constituency boundaries has taken place.

But speaking today Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned his party leadership to not use the review to get rid of opponents.

 Theresa May has a lot to smile about as the analysis forecasts she will win a majority of at least 100 MPs in the 2020 general election
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Theresa May has a lot to smile about as the analysis forecasts she will win a majority of at least 100 MPs in the 2020 general electionCredit: Getty Images

reports the London mayor said: "What this shouldn't be used as an excuse for is either from the Conservative Government to reduce the number of Labour MPs or by the Labour leadership, and I'm sure they wouldn't, to get rid of unpopular Labour MPs."

He added: "I think the Government is making a big mistake reducing the number of Labour MPs in London.

"At the same time they are increasing the number of unelected peers in the House of Lords as a reward for sucking up to the previous Prime Minister."

 People voting in polling stations across the country would find their constituencies change if the boundary changes get the go-ahead
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People voting in polling stations across the country would find their constituencies change if the boundary changes get the go-aheadCredit: PA

Labour has accused the Tories of rigging the boundary changes after proposals revealed Corbyn’s party will be hardest hit by changes to the make-up of the House of Commons.

Jeremy Corbyn’s own seat is being abolished in proposals by the boundary commission to cut the number of MPs in Parliament from 650 to 600.

Labour has signalled it will fight the “unfair, undemocratic and unacceptable” changes, stressing they are based on an “out of date” version of the electoral register based on populations recorded in the electoral roll for 2015 and missing two million voters who signed up to vote in the EU referendum.

 


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