There is still plenty of speculation about a new political constituency in Berkshire called ‘Earley and Woodley’ which could be created next year.

The Boundary Commission for England is currently developing proposals which would redraw the political map in the Berkshire and the rest of the country.

Perhaps the biggest change proposed is the creation of an ‘Earley and Woodley’ constituency, which would cover the two towns, Shinfield, and the Whitley and Church wards in Reading and Sonning.

But the creation of the seat is still a way off, as the Boundary Commission is currently reviewing the results of two consultations of its proposals.

Later this year, any revisions will be made and another consultation will take place, with the commission submitting a final report and recommendations in June 2023.

The prospect of an Earley and Woodley constituency was first revealed in 2021, with predictions stating it would be won by the Conservatives.

However, this year, political prediction site Electoral Calculus projected that it would be won by the Labour party in a future general election, with the party winning the contest with a projected 8,745 vote majority.

This month, Liz Truss, the MP for South West Norfolk was announced as the new Conservative leader and Prime Minister.

Understanding of what the change at the top of the Conservative party means on a local level is limited as activists have unable to campaign since Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II died.

But that hasn’t stopped three councillors weighing in on Mrs Truss and whether that changes the predicted Labour victory in Earley and Woodley.

On the projected Labour win, councillor Pauline Jorgensen (Conservative, Hillside) said: “I don’t know what the Electoral Calculus base that information on, but people don’t necessarily vote the same way in council elections as they do in general elections.

“The last council election was heavily influenced by previous factors that are not there now.”

As the leader of the opposition, cllr Jorgensen said that people are currently focused on local issues.

She explained: “There’s a lot of disquiet, there a complaints about the removal of food waste caddies, the local cycling and walking infrastructure plans and what the Liberal Democrats are doing.

“That’s what I’m getting from emails and messages.”

Meanwhile, councillors from the other parties laid into Mrs Truss on the cost of living crisis.

Cllr Andy Croy (Labour, Bulmershe & Whitegates) said: “She’s going to be a disaster.

“She’s repeating the myth of trickle down economics, which leads to the rich getting richer. It’s a hangover from the 1980s, and all it’s going to do is make the country worse off.

“She’s continuity Johnson. She stuck with him and she made it clear she would back him to the end.

“She’s like Boris Johnson with tidy hair.

“At the moment I’m hoping for a Labour gain, but no one can take anything for granted.”

Cllr Croy criticised the Conservatives for not enacting a windfall tax on energy companies, which is what Labour has proposed to do if it was in power.

Cllr Clive Jones the Liberal Democrat leader of Wokingham Borough Council and Hawkedon ward councillor said: “She’s the same old Conservative, there has not really been any change.

“They’re still not taking seriously the problems with the economy such as the cost of living crisis.

“They’ve congratulated themselves on capping fuel bills, but they’re still double what they were last year.

“From my own perspective, there’s no change, the Conservatives are still out of touch, they’re still not taking the cost of living crisis seriously, and residents I’ve spoken to say the same.”

The next general election is scheduled for January 2025.