The Eastern region has largely escaped the Boundary Commission axe with just one seat set to be axed in 2018.

It comes after the Government asked the commission to reduce the number of constituencies in the UK to 600, and to ensure that there are roughly the same number of electors in each constituency.

The Office for National Statistics calculated the electorate amounts to 44,722,004 people which means the number of electors in each mainland English constituency must be no less than 71,031 and no more than 78,507.

A total of 32 constituencies in England will be chopped, leaving 501 constituencies in England and 600 across the UK.

The commission set out how many MPs there would be in each region, with the number in the east falling from 58 to 57.

Far fewer seats will go compared to other parts of the country. The North-West will lost seven constituencies and London will lose five.

A 12-week consultation has now been launched.

Sam Hartley, Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England said: 'Today marks the start of our work to review the constituency boundaries in England. Parliament has set us strict rules on reducing the number of constituencies and bringing greater equality of electorate size between the new constituencies - these new rules mean that there is likely to be a large degree of change across the country.

'Once we publish our initial proposals in the autumn, we will need the help of residents in all regions to ensure that our proposals take account of local ties and best reflect the geography on the ground. Everyone's views will help us recommend a well-considered and practical set of constituency boundaries in England.'

The review will take place over two and a half years and the recommendations will come into force for the 2020 election.