A NEW Parliamentary seat for West Somerset which will take in many of the villages around Wellington will be contested for the Conservatives by current MP Ian Liddell-Grainger.

Outspoken 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, now Lord King.

However, Boundary Commission recommendations due to be put to Parliament in the 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 would have added to it Burnham on Sea and Highbridge.

Conservatives in the ‘Tiverton and Minehead’ new seat met Mr Liddell-Grainger on Friday evening and overwhelmingly voted to adopt him as their Parliamentary candidate.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “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.

“I will fight as hard for Tiverton and Minehead as I will continue to do for Bridgwater and West Somerset.”

The new constituency would stretch from Tiverton to Minehead and include all of the West Somerset area of Exmoor and run along the coast to take in Watchet and Williton, Stogursey and Hinkley Point, and reach as far as Stolford.

Assuming MPs accept the commission’s proposals, the boundary changes would come into effect when the next General Election is called, which has to be no later than January, 2025.