PROPOSALS to redraw the political map for General Elections have been published which see a shake-up of East Lancashire’s constituencies.

Under the plans Hyndburn would gain three wards from Ribble Valley and lose Haslingden.

The town would go into a new West Pennine Moors seat redrawn from the current Rossendale and Darwen constituency.

The latter would lose Lower Darwen to a slightly expanded Blackburn.

Burnley constituency is set to expand to include Bacup while it loses two wards to a proposed redrawn Pendle seat.

The new map, due to come into force by 2024, aims to ensure all constituencies have between 69,724 and 77,062 voters and is now subject to two rounds of public consultation.

However many MPs expect Prime Minister Boris Johnson to call an election before it comes into force.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said he was ‘ hugely disappointed’ at the proposal to move the East Whalley, Read and Simonstone, Whalley and Painter Wood, and Billington and Langho wards into Hyndburn where they would increase his Conservative colleague Sara Britcliffe’s chances of keeping her seat.

The addition of Tory voting Lower Darwen to Blackburn is likely to reduce Labour MP Kate Hollern’s majority but not threaten her holding it.

One of the biggest changes is the creation of the new Burnley and Bacup seat including the five easternmost wards of Rossendale Borough but losing Briercliffe and Lanehead wards to Pendle.

The other major element of the shake-up is the replacement of Rossendale and Darwen constituency with a new West Pennine Moors seat including Haslingden’s Greenfield and Worsley wards, now in Hyndburn, and the Adlington and Anderton, and Chorley North-East wards from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s Chorley constituency.

Mr Evans said: “I’m hugely disappointed at the proposals that would see large parts of the Ribble Valley being carved up, with several villages being taken by a neighbouring constituency. These villages are a core part of the Ribble Valley.”

Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham said: “I’ll be looking through these initial proposals very carefully over the coming weeks. It’s important that any changes benefit the residents of Burnley and Padiham.”

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry said: “I shall be consulting extensively with my constituents on these proposed changes.”