Russell’s reforms disfranchised 60 boroughs and reduced the representation of 47 others from two to one member. The shake-up produced 168 vacancies and reduced the size of the Commons from 658 to 596. On a somewhat lesser scale, it is true, we are about to go through a similar exercise. Next week, the Boundary Commission for England and Wales will outline its initial proposals for new constituencies in order to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600 at the next election.

If this proposal sounds familiar that is not surprising, since there has been talk about pruning Westminster for years. In 2009, after the expenses scandal, the Conservatives advocated a 10 per cent reduction partly to address public dissatisfaction with the cost of sustaining a growing number of politicians in both Parliament and the devolved administrations. But another aim was to rectify a long-standing unfairness in the electoral system whereby some votes are worth much more than others.