A MP has come under fire after claiming that nobody knows where Hyndburn is.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry made the comments as he argued that the Hyndburn and Haslingden constituency could be for the chop under changes to electoral constituency boundaries.

The coalition government wants to cut the number of MPs in the Commons from 650 to 600, in a bid to equalise constituency sizes.

But the comments have angered Hyndburn MP Graham Jones.

Mr Berry said: "Mr Berry said: "Rossendale and Darwen has existed as a parliamentary seat since 1983 but nobody knows where Hyndburn is. People either think of Accrington or Haslingden."

Mr Berry’s comments came after the Electoral Reform Society drew up a new political map – proposing that Hyndburn is replaced by a new Accrington and Rishton seat. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats argue the changes to parliamentary boundaries will help restore trust in politicians following the parliamentary expenses scandal, as well as deliver better value for taxpayers’ money.

The Labour Party opposes the bill claiming the government is ‘gerrymandering’ boundaries at the expense of Labour seats.

It would include Blackburn wards Little Harwood, Shadsworth with Whitebirk and Audley and Burnley wards Gannow, Gawthorpe and Hapton with Park.

Great Harwood wards Netherton and Overton would become part of the new Clitheroe and Barnoldswick constituency, while Haslingden wards

Greenfield and Worsley would transfer to a new Rawtenstall and Burnley seat.

But Mr Jones said: "Hyndburn has been a seat in one form or another since 1875 and it’s a historic area. There is a borough boundary, and a definite identity across the borough.

"The Tory government is smashing communities up with these boundary changes and I think Jake Berry is trying to look after himself by lobbying for Rossendale to take over half of Hyndburn."

But Great Harwood Independent councillor Ian Robinson has welcomed the proposed boundary changes, saying the town has been ‘on loan’ to Hyndburn since 1974.

He said: "This is something that we have long fought for in Great Harwood to get away from this monopoly that Accrington has.

"Great Harwood really should be back in the boundaries of Clitheroe where it belongs.

"People don’t want to be lumped in with Hyndburn and see themselves in the main as Valley people and rightly so."

He added: "If this goes through we won’t need the core strategy in Great Harwood.

"It would be nice to say thank you very much for doing up our town hall. Now can we have it back please."

The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill is due for its second reading in the House of Lords on November 15.

How well-known is Hyndburn? Do you think that it is the best name for the borough? Email us at accringtonobserver@menmedia.co.uk, write to us at The Accrington Observer, Mitchell Henry House, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 8EF, or submit your comments below.