Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has responded to Sinn Fein claims that the proposed Parliamentary Boundary changes are tantamount to gerrymandering against nationalists.

Lord Empey said:

“Sinn Fein claims that proposed Parliamentary boundaries would deny representation to thousands of nationalist voters are not merely incorrect, they are utter hypocrisy.

“This is the same Sinn Fein who never bothered to engage meaningfully with the Boundary Review at any previous stage.

“The Ulster Unionist Party had concerns about the original provisional proposals, largely because we did not believe they respected community ties and that they would cut towns off from natural hinterlands, and we made representations to the Commission in a bid to influence its thinking.

“The latest revised proposals are certainly not perfect but they are an improvement on the provisional proposals which Sinn Fein now seem to be championing.

“Bizarrely Sinn Fein are claiming that the process is an example of gerrymandering and will result in thousands of nationalists being left without representation.

“The fact is that in order to reduce Northern Ireland’s representation in the House of Commons, our total number of seats will be reduced from 18 to 17, and a unionist seat is being sacrificed, as Lagan Valley and South Antrim are effectively being merged into one constituency.

“In any case, it is utter hypocrisy for Sinn Fein to talk about nationalists being denied representation. Thanks to Sinn Fein’s refusal to take their seats at Westminster, nobody of any political persuasion in seven constituencies has any representation in the House of Commons, yet Sinn Fein seem totally unconcerned about that.

“Furthermore, when Sinn Fein was in joint charge with the DUP at the time of the last Review of Local Government boundaries, they had no hesitation in carrying out a major gerrymander of the local government boundaries for Belfast - even overruling the Boundary Commissioner's recommendations - to put themselves in charge.”