A BRADFORD vicar has branded plans to carve up a constituency “nonsense”, saying it could deal a fatal blow to the city’s regeneration.

The Rev Thierry Guillemin, the vicar of St Paul’s, Wibsey, spoke out over the proposal to scrap the Bradford South seat and divide it between Bradford West, Halifax and a new Spen constituency.

He said: “This nonsense has to go back to the drawing board.”

The proposal forms part of Boundary Commission plans to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

But the prospect of seeing areas like Wyke, Tong, Wibsey and Royds wards move into non-Bradford constituencies prompted a campaign group to be set up, called Keep Bradford Bradford.

Rev Guillemin said: “Anyone in Wibsey who has learned of the project to split their community in three is in total disbelief.

“Wibsey has a clear sense of identity, which has grown stronger over the few last years, this identity is proudly Bradfordian.

“How can three different MPs, whose main focus will be on different areas than ours - Halifax, Spen and Bradford West - solve the problems of our community?

“Sorry, but it sounds just ridiculous.

“And the Bradford proposal as a whole will deal an important - fatal? - blow to the just started renewal of the city, for which there is such a desperate need at both an economic and a human level.”

He is one of a number of leading figures from charities, communities and faith groups adding their voices to those calling for the areas to retain a Bradford MP.

Former Lord Mayor, Councillor Joanne Dodds (Lab, Great Horton) said: “I believe that these proposals will seriously weaken our representation in Parliament and it would affect the work that we have started to make Bradford a great economic and cultural powerhouse like it was a century ago.”

Andy Walsh, chief executive of local charity Sandale Community Development Trust, said: “The proposed move of the Royds ward into the Halifax constituency was met with disbelief in our community centres in both Buttershaw and Woodside.”

Others who have spoken out against the plans include Geoff Twentyman, the chairman of Low Moor History Group, John Ruding, a former councillor and current chair of governors at Newhall Park Primary in Bierley, and the current Bradford South MP, Judith Cummins.

A public consultation into the plans will close a week today.

A spokesman for the Boundary Commission for England said it had already received thousands of comments from across England in response to the consultation.

She said commissioners would be looking carefully in the coming months at the strength of the views expressed before deciding whether to revise the current proposals.

The consultation on the proposals is open until December 5 and people can take part by visiting www.bce2018.org.uk.

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