VOTERS in Duffryn could be served by a MP who also counts parts of the North of Cardiff in his constituency under new proposals announced today.

Earlier this year the Boundary Commission for Wales proposed reducing the number of Gwent MPs from six to five, with one constituency covering most of urban Newport and the constituency of Islwyn being split up.

But after a consultation launched in January, the proposed area of Newport West and Sirhowy has been withdrawn and a new area of Cardiff North and South West Gwent has been proposed instead.

Under the revised proposals, the Caerphilly constituency would expand to include the Abercarn, Cross Keys, Pengam, Pontllanfraith and Ynysddu areas of Islwyn.

Paul Flynn, MP for Newport West, dubbed the Cardiff North and South West Gwent proposal “Tory-land” in a response to the consultation earlier this year.

The area would include the Newport council wards of Graig, Marshfield, Tredegar Park which includes the Duffryn estate, Rogerstone and Risca.

A new consultation is to run from today until December 18 – but reports have suggested that Liberal Democrats will block the UK government plans for reducing the number of MPs and for having a similar sized electorate in each constituency.

Ben Whitestone, secretary to the commission, said it is required by law to complete the review and deliver final recommendations.

A future government could bring forward the proposals again, he said. This would be the final opportunity for the public to have a say on the proposals.