The map for the next British election has been redrawn

Lines on mapsMP matter—to security, to identity and to elections. In 2023 the boundaries of Britain’s 650 constituencies were revised for the first time since 2010. Unlike redistricting in America, the exercise in Britain is determinedly non-partisan. Its effects are not. New data released on January 16th cast some light on how these new boundaries will affect s’ prospects of re-election.With a few exceptions the new boundaries follow a simple rule, laid down in 2020: to keep the number of electors in each constituency within 5% of 73,393, while staying faithful to geography. The process was run by in each of Britain’s four nations. Political parties took part. But Glenn Reed, from the Boundary Commission for England, says that the consultations gave as much weight to the views of Joe Public as to, say, Tory campaign headquarters. He says that the borders of one constituency in Devon were amended on the back of one individual’s persuasive argument at a town-hall meeting.