PLANS which could see Newport become a single Parliamentary constituency are "a serious blow" to the city, veteran MP Paul Flynn has said.

Today the Boundary Commission for Wales presented its initial proposals for a review of Parliamentary seats as part of a plan which could see the number of MPs in Wales cut from 40 to 29, and the overall number of constituencies in the UK slashed by 50 to 600.

Among the proposals were to create a single Newport seat comprising roughly half of both the existing constituencies, while merging the remainder into Monmouth, Caerphilly and Torfaen.

But Paul Flynn, who has been MP for Newport West since 1987, slammed the plans.

"This is a serious blow to Newport," he said.

The Labour MP added he was particularly concerned about the potential impact on those areas of the current Newport East and West constituencies which will become part of another area.

"Those MPs will be concentrating on their areas rather than Newport's issues," he said.

He also added his voice to those calling for a cut in the membership of the House of Lords before any directly-elected MPs lose their jobs.

"I don't disagree with the idea that all constituencies should be same size," he said.

"But there should be some agreement about how we could reduce the size of the Lords.

"Also we should look at the Assembly because the work of AMs has probably trebled since 1999."

Other proposals include scrapping the Islwyn seat currently held by Labour's Chris Evans and merging it into Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.

Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds criticised the review for using population figures based on the 2015 electoral register, while around two million more have since registered to vote as a result of June's referendum.

"These boundary changes are designed to give the Tories an advantage for the next general election," he said.

"They are driven by naked political interest.

"If the Tories were serious about improving our democracy they would not be using the outdated 2015 registers, but taking into account the nearly two million extra electors who registered for the 2016 Brexit referendum, whose voices are not being heard in this process."

And Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader Hywel Williams said he was unhappy Wales was set to lose a disproportionate number of MPs under the plans.

"Westminster is still responsible for major areas of policy affecting Wales and our nation will have less of a voice if these proposals go through," he said.

“A cut in Welsh representation must be balanced by a transfer of these major policy areas to Wales.

"Scotland’s representation at Westminster was cut in 2005 only in response to a major shift of power to Scotland.

"Wales is being denied the same responsibilities that have been transferred to Scotland and Northern Ireland."

A 12-week consultation into the proposals began yesterday and will close on Monday, December 5.

For information visit bcomm-wales.gov.uk.