HAYES and Harlington could become 'Feltham and Hayes' and several wards could be lost under drastic new constituency boundary changes, and local MP John McDonnell has blasted the 'ludicrous' proposals.

Under the new-look constituencies for the borough, drawn up by the Boundary Commission for England and published yesterday (Tuesday, September 13), Hayes and Harlington would take on three Hounslow wards - Bedfont, Feltham North, and Feltham West - and be renamed to reflect its new geographical make-up.

Yiewsley, currently in the existing Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, would effectively be 'swapped' with Charville, and Barnhill and Yeading would become part of the Greenford and Northolt parliamentary area.

The changes, which would see five less constituencies in London - from 73 to 68 - could come into effect by the next general election, in 2015.

Mr McDonnell, who has been MP for the area since 1997, said: "It is deeply upsetting that they are proposing to break up the Hayes community in this way.

"I have lived, worked and represented the whole of Hayes in some capacity for around 35 years, and it has been as it is now for over a century. It is irrational in practical terms as well as in historical terms.

"Hayes and Yeading has its own football club, which gives you an indication of how connected they are, and under these proposals, the Harlington name would effectively be wiped off the map.

"To sever ties with those areas and forget the people and organisations I have worked with, and all our achievements together would be really sad.

"Because of the cross-borough Hillingdon and Hounslow boundaries, the MP for the area would have to deal with two police forces, two local health authorities, and so on."

"Politically, we will still fight for a Labour seat and the balance won't change much, but the proposals are still ludicrous."

Mr McDonnell moved to the area in the mid 1970s and studied at Brunel University, starting his political career in 1981 as the elected Hayes and Harlington member for the now-defunct Greater London Council (GLC).

The Boundary Commission is running a 12-week consultation on the initial proposals, with a deadline date of December 5.

To find out how you can have your say, go to www.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk