AN identity crisis is looming under final UK Parliamentary constituency changes with the Greenock and Inverclyde name set to disappear after nearly 200 years.

The Boundary Commission for Scotland has published plans to create a new 'Clyde Coast' seat merging the area with Largs, Millport, Erskine and Bishopton.

It would mean the loss of either Greenock or Inverclyde from the constituency name for the first time in 186 years, since the Great Reform Act of 1832.

The key change would see the electorate increase by more than a quarter from 58,853 to 75,475.

It is the third time officials from the independent commission have changed their mind on what to do with the area having initially suggested extending the seat to Erskine and then switching to incorporate Largs.

MP for Inverclyde, Ronnie Cowan, said: "I would love to, if push comes to shove, be the representative for the likes of Largs and Millport because they are lovely places, but the numbers don't work.

"The geography bothers me and the number of people - over 70,000 - but also the identity and people identifying with that area and their MP.

"Clyde Coast, what does that mean?"

The UK Government is pressing ahead with its plans to cut the number of constituencies by 50 to 600.

In Scotland, the number of MPs would drop to 53 - down by six.

Labour candidate Martin McCluskey, who contested the Inverclyde seat in 2017, said: "Either Greenock or Inverclyde has been in a parliamentary constituency name since the Great Reform Act of 1832.

"Now they are proposing to get rid of that with the stroke of a pen.

"It's clear from the new 'Clyde Coast' seat that no one has listened to those who appealed to the Boundary Commission to retain the Inverclyde seat.

"The UK Government should think again and scrap these plans."

But Boundary Commission bosses insist they have taken all views on board.

Lord Matthews, deputy chair of the organisation in Scotland, said: "We listened carefully to comments made on our revised proposals and made a number of changes to boundaries and to constituency names.

"We believe our final recommendations meet the requirements of the legislation governing the review and within those constraints fairly reflect the views expressed to us during our consultations."