Sweeping boundary changes which could see the Dundee East constituency completely disappear have been attacked as ”confusing” by local politicians.
Under the final set of Boundary Commission proposals to redraw the UK Parliamentary map, Broughty Ferry and the north-east of the city becomes part of the new Angus West and East Perthshire seat.
The remaining parts of Dundee East, including Douglas and Maryfield, join the new Dundee West constituency.
Elsewhere, there would be a new Fife East constituency covering Cupar, St Andrews, Howe of Fife, the Tay Coast and Methil and a Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes constituency containing these towns plus Buckhaven, East Wemyss and West Wemyss.
A Clackmannanshire and Dunfermline West constituency would be created and there would also be a Dunfermline East seat.
Perth and Kinross would incorporate most of the existing council area except the more easterly sector and would also be without Crieff and Strathearn, which would join a new Stirling and Crieff constituency.
There would be one other constituency in Angus, Angus East and Kincardine covering the eastern side of the county and the Mearns in Aberdeenshire up to Aberdeen’s southern boundary.
The latest proposals are the sixth and final draft, which will go out for consultation for eight weeks until November 7.
Responses are invited and final recommendations will go to the Scottish Secretary next year, with a decision thereafter by the UK parliament.
The move results from Westminster’s decision to reduce the number of UK Parliament constituencies from 650 to 600 and a cut from 59 to 52 in Scotland.
The 50 mainland Scottish constituencies must each have between 72,810 and 80,473 electors and none can be bigger than 13,000 sq km.
Existing Dundee East SNP MP Stewart Hosie said he would press for the new seat’s name to retain the words ‘Dundee East’ so it becomes Dundee East, Angus West and East Perthshire.
He said: ”Dundee East will provide a third of its electors 27,000 people so should be reflected in its name. It is also odd it is a seat spreads across three council areas.”
Dundee SNP administration leader Ken Guild said: ”I don’t know what the Boundary Commission are playing at.
”The new name of ‘Angus West and East Perthshire’ suggests to most people a rural constituency with no relevance to Dundee. I hope this doesn’t confuse electors and put people off voting.”
He added: ”I’m not sure, however, if these proposals will see the light of day at Westminster because it may depend on the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition holding together. It is also my wish the proposals become irrelevant after 2014.”
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell said: ”These proposals are generally acceptable. They retain the historic name of East Fife and they largely confirm the existing boundaries of North East Fife, with some additions.
”I am glad the Boundary Commission has accepted the evidence given at the inquiry in Dundee.”
However, Dunfermline and West Fife Labour MP Tom Docherty said: ”The proposals dilute Dunfermline’s voice in Westminster by splitting the city in two. This will have the unintended consequence of causing confusion not only amongst my constituents but within the civic leadership of Dunfermline.”