A PLAN to cut the number of MPs by a fifth in order to help to restore faith in politics is part of a bold package of reforms likely to form part of the Conservative Party’s manifesto at the next election.

The sweeping changes to the House of Commons would result in a cull of more than 100 MPs and annual savings estimated at £25 million.

It would also bring Britain, where MPs represent on average 70,000 voters, in line with other democracies where constituencies commonly exceed 100,000 electors.

The plan to cut the number of MPs from 659 to fewer than 550 is set out in a paper that is being considered as part of a parliamentary reform package for the election campaign.

It would form a cornerstone of the Tory party’s plan for “smaller government”, which would see fewer peers in the House of Lords and substantial cuts in ministerial jobs, government departments and Whitehall staff.

Andrew Tyrie, the Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury and author of Pruning the Politicians, to be published this week, said: “The public do not want to pay more for politics. They do not want more politicians and prefer to see a reduction in their number.

“This has been the message of opinion surveys over many years, reinforced by the result of the referendum for an assembly in the North East. Politicians should find ways to arrest the growth in the cost of democratic politics. The best place to start — and the best signal for politicians to send — would be for the Commons to prune itself.”

The Conservative leadership likes the idea of cutting MPs because one of the themes of its election campaign will be restoring trust in politics and politicians. Fewer MPs would also mean fewer ministers on the so-called payroll vote — the 115 MPs who currently vote for every government measure or risk losing their job.

Mr Tyrie added: “The Boundary Commission should be set the task of reducing the number of MPs. At each of the next two reviews it should reduce the number of constituencies by, say, 10 per cent, bringing the number of MPs to around 600 at the first review and below 550 at the next.

“Reducing the size of the Commons will be popular. It will be logical. It will save money. But any such proposal will meet the obstacle of party and personal interest. No rational party rushes to weaken its electoral position nor do MPs rush to end their careers prematurely.”

Any changes would first have to be considered by the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Mr Tyrie said that the plan would also lead to reselection battles. “Many high-quality MPs would inevitably be casualties,” he said.

The size of English constituencies varies widely at present, from just over 51,000 electors in Sheffield Brightside (David Blunkett’s seat) to 103,480 on the Isle of Wight (the Tory MP Andrew Turner). The average size of a Welsh constituency is 55,905 because of a law that stipulates that it must have a minimum of 35 MPs.

As Labour constituencies are on average smaller, Mr Tyrie called for cross-party co- operation: “The equalising of the size of constituencies would remove an unfair advantage enjoyed by Labour. Their co- operation in restoring fairness would be highly desirable.” He conceded that if larger constituencies are to be created they will also have to cross county boundaries for the first time.

A cut of 20 per cent in MPs would save £15 million in pay and allowances a year and £10 million in the cost of Commons administration, Mr Tyrie said.

The proposal to reduce the number of MPs is likely to emerge in tandem with Tory proposals for a largely elected House of Lords. Mr Tyrie said the Upper House should be cut in size by about half from the present 710 peers.

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