Hackney could lose Dalston and other wards if proposed electoral boundary changes come to pass.

Proposals would see Dalston replace Islington's Tufnell Park and become an "orphan ward". Tufnell Park would then be included in the Kentish Town and Bloomsbury constituency.

In its Boundary Commission 2023 review, published for public consultation on June 8, the Boundary Commission for England also proposes Hackney South and Shoreditch constituency retain all existing wards except King’s Park, which would move to Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

MP Meg Hillier, of Hackney South and Shoreditch, explained that the proposals are the "first iteration of boundaries in a two year consultation before they are finalised". She said the basis for change is a strict limit on the number of people in a constituency.

Since Hackney has more than its two constituencies worth of electors, and both Hackney South and Shoreditch and Hackney North and Stoke Newington are equally oversized, the constituencies must shrink geographically or be represented by more than two MPs.

Yet in response to the possibility of King's Park being moved, Ms Hillier said: "It’s heart-breaking to see a ward where I have worked with people and organisations for over 16 years move into another constituency. But the numbers mean this was bound to happen, whichever way the constituencies were drawn".

Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency would retain all existing wards except Dalston, Brownswood and Woodberry Down wards. Brownswood and Woodberry would then be included in Tottenham constituency.

Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn criticised the changes: "The addition of the new ‘Hackney’ ward at the far end of Islington North but belonging to Hackney seems unnecessary and confusing to many, and would also involve working with another borough for just one ward."

Under the commission’s plan, the number of parliamentary constituencies would increase in England from 533 to 543, and in London from 73 to 74, before the next general election as a way of equalising the number of people voting for each seat.

Still, Ms Hillier added: "In the past we have seen significant changes from this point to the final stage, and the whole process has been abandoned twice before."

To comment on the consultation visit www.bcereviews.org.uk/