PLAN DO TO AWAY WITH PURELY AYRSHIRE CONSTITUENCIES

Ayrshire is set to lose its clear identity at Westminster after proposed boundary changes to the electoral districts for parliamentary elections. Up until now, Ayrshire has been divided into four parliamentary constituencies that cover the whole of Ayrshire, namely:

• Ayr, Carrick, and Cumnock
• Kilmarnock and Loudon
• Central Ayrshire 
• North Ayrshire and Arran

Needless to say, this gives Ayrshire a distinct identity at Westminster, with 4 MPs representing solely Ayrshire constituencies.

Now, however, under proposals for boundary changes to come into effect in 2018, two of Ayrshire's four parliamentary constituencies will be mixed with parts of our rival county of Refrewshire. Even worse, the parts of Ayrshire that will be included in these new constituencies will be dominated by the Renfrewshire parts of the constituencies.

One proposed constituency - Refrewshire West - will see the Ayrshire coast North of Ardrossan basically annexed to the Refrewshire towns of Johnstone, Linwood, and Loch Winnoch.

The other proposed constituency - Eastwood and Loudon - will see a vast part of Eastern Ayrshire, including the town of Stewarton and the upper Irvine Valley, annexed to some Glasgow suburbs, including Newton Mearns, the center of Scotland's Jewish community. 

If the proposals are passed there will be only three Ayrshire constituencies:

• Arran and Cunninghame (Irvine, etc.)
• Kilmarnock, Cumnock, and Doon Valley
• Ayr and Carrick

Needless to say these changes are a net negative for Ayrshire by diluting our strong identity at Westminster and  subordinating large tracts of our beautiful countryside to non-Ayrshire urban conurbations.