The Government has today been defeated in a House of Commons vote over it’s controversial review of the Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries for the next General Election.
MPs voted by 334 to 292 against the proposals, which means the planned shake-up will be postponed until 2018 at the earliest.
The plans, which if approved would have seen the wards of Wednesfield North and South represented by a ‘Walsall West’ MP and not a Wolverhampton North East MP (as they currently are) were massively unpopular with local people and lead to to the ‘Keep Wednesfield Together’ campaign being launched.
The campaign, backed by former and current MPs, as well as Councillors and residents saw over 700 people sign a petition against the plans during a pop up stall on Wednesfield High Street and many more people also signed an online petition.
WV11.co.uk today spoke to Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds who said:
“I am delighted that today we have a won a vote in Parliament against the proposed boundary changes. This means that we will not lose substantial parts of Wednesfield to a Walsall constituency and that the boundaries of Wolverhampton North East constituency will stay the same at the next general election in 2015. I want to thank all the local residents who signed our petition against these proposed changes.”
Wednesfield North Cllr Phil Bateman also commented on the campaign:
Wednesfield together campaign was successfully this time. well done residents who campaigned to stay in Wolverhampton. we won!
— Phil Bateman MBE (@PhilBatemanMBE) January 29, 2013
Photo courtesy of Ben Forrest.