Controversial plans to redraw the north’s political map will be discussed in the Highland capital today.
The Boundary Commission for Scotland has suggested significant alterations of the current set-up.
It is part of a wider plan to cut the House of Commons from 650 to 600 MPs, and Scotland’s quota from 59 to 53.
If the redrawn map is approved, the constituency of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross currently represented by Paul Monaghan would be extended southwards and renamed Highland North.
It would take in a significant chunk of Ian Blackford’s Ross, Skye and Lochaber seat, and a small portion of Drew Hendry’s Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency.
Some of the southern part of Mr Blackford’s seat would be added to the Argyll and Bute constituency, which would be renamed Argyll, Bute and Lochaber county.
The changes also propose combining Nairn, which is currently represented by Mr Hendry, with Angus Robertson’s neighbouring Moray constituency, and renaming it Moray and Nairn county.
The remaining area currently represented by Mr Blackford and Mr Hendry would be merged into one huge new constituency –
Inverness and Skye county – stretching from the Isle of Skye in the west to beyond Grantown in the east.
The plans will be discussed at a public meeting in the Town House in Inverness from 11am today.
The proposals have not proved popular with the men currently elected to the seats, with Mr Blackford saying the adjusted boundaries would lead to the three seats covering 40% of the land mass of Scotland with representation from 5% of the country’s MPs.
Mr Monaghan added: “The proposals pay no regard to the geographic challenges of communities, particularly Highland. If implemented, individuals would find it harder to make contact with their MP. And, regardless of the political party in power, these proposals significantly erode representative democracy across the UK.”
Boundary Commission for Scotland deputy chairman Lord Matthews said: “The hearing is a crucial part of our public consultation process.
“We welcome comments on any of our proposals and will reflect on responses to the consultation and make changes if needed, where the legislation allows us to do so.”