Proposed changes to constituency boundaries in Hertfordshire have been criticised by two former election candidates.

The new boundaries have been drawn up in an attempt to reduce the total number of MPs from 650 to 600.

Several changes to existing constituencies in Hertfordshire – including Watford, St Albans and Hertsmere – have been put forward.

These include Watford gaining the South Oxhey ward, as well as parts of Oxhey Hall and Hayling, and Carpenders Park from South West Hertfordshire, while losing Leavesden, Woodside, and Abbots Langley and Bedmond to St Albans.

Labour candidate Chris Ostrowski, who came second to Richard Harrington at this year’s general election, said the changes would benefit the party currently in power.

"The Tories are running scared with this boundary review," he said. 

"It's a waste of everyone's time and money to change the electoral boundaries when the government can't even ensure that all voters in Watford are on the electoral roll as they should be.

"The Boundary Commission have been given an impossible job by the Tories. By reducing the number of MPs, the Tories are trying to fix the boundaries as they know that Labour are on the march in Watford."

Ian Stotesbury, who ran for the Liberal Democrats, said he supported reducing the number of MPs but added that he understood the objections of Watford residents to the proposed changes.

“The proposed boundary changes are trying to keep our constituencies evenly populated and reduce the number of MPs - a welcome goal - but I imagine residents will take objections in many cases to these new boundaries,” he said.

“For example, the residents of Woodside and Leavesden I imagine will largely consider themselves Watfordians. We'd end up with the borough of Watford split among MPs, and further slicing and dicing of Three Rivers. 

“I think there are bigger fish to fry when it comes to electoral reform; our first-past-the-post voting system limits the empowerment of our votes, 16 and 17 year olds are denied the vote, and the House of Lords is not an elected body.

“Until they are addressed then electoral boundary changes are small fry.”

However Watford MP Richard Harrington was more positive, saying: “The boundary review is taking place to reduce the cost of politics and equalise the size of constituencies so that everyone's vote has equal weight, which is only fair.

“The independent Boundary Commission will be consulting for the next eight weeks and I would encourage people to respond and make sure they have their say.

“Nothing has been decided yet and I will be looking at the proposals closely.”

It is currently unclear whether the House of Commons will support the plans after the last set of boundary proposals were rejected in 2013.

But if they do, the changes will take effect in 2022 – the scheduled date of the next general election.