A SECOND period of consultation has begun over boundary change proposals that could see the end of the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency and affect other constituencies in Cumbria.

Boundary Commission England (BCE) said detailed proposals to redraw the UK's political map attracted 20,000 responses during the initial 12-week consultation last year, with "strong community evidence" received from across the North West region.

These comments have now been published on the BCE’s website - www.bce2018.org.uk - and further public responses can now be made up to March 27.

The commission said it wanted to give people a chance to tell it what they think about other suggestions made during the consultation. It suggested they could "make counter-proposals, highlight issues with alternative ideas or support the original proposals".

The aim is to reduce the number of parliamentary constituencies in the UK to 600 from 650, and to ensure that the number of electors in each constituency is equal.

Initial proposals include axing Morecambe and and Lunesdale and replacing it with a Lancaster and Morecambe seat. This would involve the transfer of Silverdale and Carnforth to a new constituency stretching along the Ribble Valley to Preston.

In Cumbria, the proposal is to cut the number of parliamentary seats from six to five.

BCE says every constituency must contain between 71,031 and 78,507 electors and all of Cumbria's six seats fall short of that figure. As part the proposal, Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency would be expanded to include Appleby