Four local forces would become one under the plan

MPs warned that rural communities could lose out in the merger with resources being diverted to higher crime areas in the big cities in the region.

Under the plans a region-wide force would be created with the mergers of the West Midlands, Warwickshire, West Mercia and Staffordshire forces.

A call by Tory MPs for a referendum on the merger was rejected.

John Maples, Conservative MP for Stratford-upon-Avon, spoke during a report stage debate on the Police and Justice Bill.

"Local policing is what a lot of our constituents want but don't feel they get."

How on earth does the government think that this proposal, if it is rammed through, will have legitimacy? Owen Paterson MP

He said a proposed merger in the West Midlands would be "bad for local policing and accountability".

Major cities like Birmingham, with higher crime rates, would see police officers "sucked out" of rural areas, added Mr Maples.

His views were supported by fellow Tory MP Richard Shepherd, for Aldridge Brownhills, who said he could not see anything good coming of the change.

Trouble spots

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson supported calls for a referendum, saying most people in the West Mercia Police area - which covers Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire - supported the force boundaries remaining.

"How on earth does the government think that this proposal, if it is rammed through, will have legitimacy?" he said.

CHIEF CONSTABLE PAUL WEST Chief criticises mergers

Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield in Staffordshire, told the Commons: "The real fear is that police forces in Staffordshire are going to be diverted down to the West Midlands because they tend to be greater trouble spots than in Staffordshire.

"Yet we have our needs too."

The West Mercia force has strongly opposed the merger plan that will see the number of police forces across England and Wales cut from 43 to 24.

The new "strategic" forces will help police tackle organised crime and terrorism, the Home Office says.

West Mercia Chief Constable Paul West said changes were being rushed through and called for greater debate on the issue.

Staffordshire, West Midlands and Warwickshire forces are in favour of the merger.

The Conservative bid to force the government to hold referendums on police force mergers in England and Wales was defeated by 295 to 223 votes, a majority of 72.