Will Grantham get a new MP, replacing Gareth Davies, under proposed changes, revealed today?

Major changes to the parliamentary constituencies of Lincolnshire and Rutland have been proposed, with potential significant implications for our MPs.

In a review of constituency boundaries announced by the boundary commission today, the East Midlands is to get an extra seat in Parliament, giving it 47.

Rutland and Lincolnshire sees major changes, which will affect the MP for Grantham and Stamford, Gareth Davies, Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns, North Kesteven and Hykeham's Dr Caroline Johnson and Sir John Hayes who represents South Holland.

With all four seats being safe Conservative, the changes won't make any impact other than the sitting MPs having to fight for the new constituencies, should they wish to.

The Boundary Commission said in trying to equalise the prospective populations of constituencies, it has in some cases been necessary to cross county or local authority boundaries.

The commission continued: "It has been necessary to propose one constituency that crosses the boundary between Lincolnshire and Rutland.

"We have proposed a constituency that contains electors from both Lincolnshire and Rutland, which combines the entirety of the Rutland unitary authority and wards from South Kesteven District (including the town of Stamford)."

This seat is made up of the current Grantham and Stamford seat, held by Gareth Davies and the current Rutland and Melton seat, held by Alicia Kearns.

With both MPs only gaining the seats in 2019 and both moving to their areas, they may well have to fight it out between them for this new constituency.

To the north of Grantham, people will come under Sleaford and North Hykeham. This seat mostly echoes the current Sleaford and North Hykeham seat currently held by Dr Caroline Johnson.

Bourne, currently part of Grantham and Stamford, will be part of the new Grantham Constituency.

Centred around Spalding, will be a new South Lincolnshire constituency. Should the long-serving MP Sir John Hayes wish to continue, this could well be his new home seat.

Villages south of Stamford and Market Deeping will come under North West Cambridgeshire.

To the north of Oakham, will be a new Melton and Syston constituency.

The Commission added: "We are consulting on our initial proposals for an eight-week period, from 8 June 2021 to 2 August 2021.

"We encourage everyone to use this opportunity to help us shape the new constituencies – the more responses we receive, the more informed our decisions will be when considering whether to revise our proposals.

"Our consultation portal at www.bcereviews.org.uk has more information about our proposals and how to give us your views on them."