TWO Lake District MPs have challenged plans to revamp constituencies in Cumbria.

The Boundary Commission for England proposes radical changes which would see one of the county’s constituencies axed and four of the remaining five dramatically redrawn.

But all three main parties have found elements to dislike in the proposals, which were discussed at the public meeting in Carlisle on Monday and Tuesday. Each party says it is now submitting alternative boundary ideas to the commission.

The MPs who could be most affected by the changes are Westmorland and Lonsdale’s Tim Farron and the Penrith and the Border’s Rory Stewart.

The changes could see the coalition partners fighting the same seat –the proposed Kendal and Penrith constituency – at the next election.

The radical changes were proposed after the Government said it wanted to reduce the number of English constituencies from 533 to 502. The aim is to ensure each area has a similar number of electors – around 75,000.

As part of the changes, towns such as Kendal and Sedbergh would become linked to remote areas of Eden; Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere would be joined with a new Copeland and Windermere constituency while Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel would be part of a revamped Barrow seat.

Both Mr Farron and Mr Stewart opposed the Boundary Commission proposals at the Carlisle consultation, with each submitting alternative but broadly complementary proposals.

Mr Farron said his ideal boundary would effectively be a return to the old Westmorland constituency, which existed before 1983.

“There are real concerns across community groups and political parties about the changes,” said the MP. “If you look at Copeland and Windermere, for example, you would have a new constituency with England’s highest mountain range running through it and only the Hardknott Pass to link them.”

Mr Stewart said: “It is a good Boundary Commission proposal in terms of Carlisle and a good basic proposal for Barrow-in-Furness.

"But I would propose the division between West and East Cumbria has been put in the wrong place.

"These suggested boundaries have broken through the traditional divides between the West coast and rural inland areas.”

Public views have to be submitted to the Boundary Commission by December 5.