Dear Editor, Local community identity must be a key issue in looking at the way we wish to be seen and democratically represented,

What we are missing in this constituency boundary debate is the need to fundamentally question the functions and therefore the composition and size of the Westminster Parliament. We need a more holistic approach to the way we are governed.

What is the case for 600 or 200 MPs? It is argued we still need 600 so that all constituencies are roughly the same size in terms of voters and that they maintain the local link. Clearly not all constituencies will generate the same amount of local work and, more fundamentally, we need to question why members of the Westminster Parliament should be spending much of their time and taxpayers’ resources on local issues.

With Scotland, Wales, NorthernIreland and, more especially, London well down the devolution track with more to come, the functions of Westminster and its size and costs have to be questioned.

We are in sight of Westminster becoming, on domestic matters, a wholly English Parliament with decisions about policies in Dudley and Birmingham all being taken in London or by its agents. England is too complex for this approach to be sustainable and an “outcomes”, rather than “numbers” alternative is needed.

MPs need to deal with UK-wide business and their role should not be different wherever they represent in the UK.

Members of Parliament whether in the House of Commons or the second chamber need to be responsible for UK-wide business. Westminster can then be significantly down-sized and most of its domestic business and democratic accountability for it transferred to the local region. In Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland this would be fairly straightforward. We are left with the English Question.

A principled approach is needed based on placing decision-making as close to those affected by it in a way which is as simple and clear to the public as possible. We should be looking for as many functions and representation as possible to returned to local communities and not the large local authorities we have been saddled with by successive Governments in London supported by the main political parties.