THE three main political parties have all submitted alternative plans to change the district’s constituency boundaries.

They are among a host of suggestions from people unhappy at the Boundary Commission’s plans for Bradford, amid a national shake-up.

Last year, the Boundary Commission prompted an outcry after it suggested scrapping the Bradford South parliamentary seat, under wider plans to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

The proposal would see parts of Bradford South being covered by constituencies serving Spen and Halifax - a move which some labelled as harmful to the city’s identity and status.

Last week, the Boundary Commission revealed that the loss of Bradford South was one of the topics they heard about most during their first consultation round.

They are now inviting people to have their say about any counter-proposals the Boundary Commission has been sent, during a second consultation.

These include a local Labour plan to retain the constituencies of Bradford East, Keighley and Batley and Spen, while creating two new seats of Bradford South and West and Shipley and Bradford North.

A local Conservative proposal is to retain Bradford South, but to see the Queensbury, Tong and Idle areas covered by constituencies serving the Calder Valley, Morley and Leeds respectively.

And Bradford’s Liberal Democrats have suggested creating a new Bradford Central seat, as well as one for Bradford North and Shipley and a third called Bradford Rural and Guiseley.

Other notable counter-proposals include one by Andy Walsh, chief executive of the Buttershaw-based Sandale Trust, which proposes a new Bradford South-West seat.

Bradford Council’s Returning Officer, Kersten England, has urged people to make their views known as part of the second consultation.

She said: “It’s important people visit the website www.bce2018.org.uk and give their views. Public input is invaluable to the 2018 Boundary Review.”

Bradford South’s current MP, Labour’s Judith Commins, said: “The volume of submissions and the level of interest shows that local people are very concerned about what is proposed for Bradford South by the Boundary Commission.

“The implications for those communities that could be tacked on to constituencies in Kirklees, Leeds and Calderdale are very worrying. What’s clear is that people in Tong, Royds, Wyke and Wibsey are Bradfordians and removing them from our city would be an affront to local communities and identity.

“It’s reassuring to see so many people engaged with this and I hope the Boundary Commission will look carefully at some of the other proposals that have been submitted that are far better and far more democratic.”