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  The seat reduction was a Conservative manifesto pledge Ross.
  
  I understand what you say about reducing the Commons further, but because the Executive is taken largely from The Commons, a smaller number of seats would simply increase the power of the executive at the expense of backbenchers. I think, for that reason, a reduction of 50 is about right.
  
  Do the maths:
  600 seats - a government majority would be 301.
  
  The payroll vote of Ministers/Junior Ministers/Whips etc would be over a third of that, about 100+.
  
  Reduce the number of seats to 500, majority 251 - a payroll vote of 100+ - that leaves just 150 government backbenchers many of whom will be eager to suck up in the hope of future Ministerial appointments. There is not a lot of room left for the good old back-bench maverick and rebel that we need in a legislature.

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