A new Parliamentary seat for West Somerset which will take in villages around Wellington will be contested for the Conservatives by current MP Ian Liddell-Grainger — meaning he won’t stand in the new Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge new parliamentary seat.
MP Mr Liddell-Grainger has represented the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency for the past 22 years since he succeeded former Cabinet Minister Tom King.
However, Boundary Commission recommendations due to be put to Parliament this coming summer would split his constituency into two, placing the West Somerset area with parts of Taunton Deane and Mid Devon.
The new seat, to be called ‘Tiverton and Minehead’, would take in Milverton, Wiveliscombe, Oake, and other communities in Taunton Deane, as well as Hemyock, Uffculme, Culmstock, Holcombe Rogus, and other villages in Mid Devon.
Mr Liddell-Grainger decided to put himself forward for the new seat rather than the remaining Bridgwater constituency, which will have Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge added when the towns move out of the current Wells constituency overseen by current MP James Heappey.
Conservatives in the ‘Tiverton and Minehead’ new seat met Mr Liddell-Grainger on Friday and overwhelmingly voted to adopt him as their Parliamentary candidate.
Mr Liddell-Grainger says: “I am delighted to have been chosen. The new seat will take a lot of getting used to, but everybody who knows me can be certain that I am up for the challenge.”
Providing that MPs accept the commission’s proposals, the boundary changes will come into effect when the next General Election is called, which has to be no later than January, 2025.
