The number of MPs in the House of Commons should be cut, a Liberal Democrat has argued.

Introducing a 10 minute rule bill, St Ives MP Andrew George suggested that, through a form of political "Russian roulette", the number of representatives should be reduced from the current number of 659 to 500.

The move is in response to the impact of devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the prospect of regional assemblies in England.

However, the MP admitted that his constituency was under review by the Boundary Commission, as part of proposals to increase the number of Cornish representatives from five to six, to reduce the average size of the constituency population.

The UK has smaller constituency population sizes than those in countries including Germany, the US, Japan and Belgium, argued George.

"After agreeing to hand out some of our powers to a Scottish parliament, a Welsh assembly, a Greater London assembly, a Northern Ireland assembly and now to regional assemblies, we should move swiftly to acknowledge that it is difficult any longer to justify having quite so many MPs in the House of Commons," he said.

"We should act now before a greatly more cynical public turns up the heat on us. Cutting our numbers from 659 to about 500 would be a useful first step in my view.

"We lead a relatively charmed and luxurious life, in comparison with the majority in our constituency.

"Simply facing up to one of the obvious consequences of devolution and some tough choices associated with it might at least begin the process of winning back some of the respect I believe the majority of genuinely hard working and honourable MPs rightly deserve."

George's bill also includes provisions to remove the power of the deputy prime minister to decide on the timing of referendums on the regional assemblies.

"Devolution is about letting go," George said.

"If the government cannot be encouraged to let go then we need to pass legislation to force them.

"Devolution will never succeed if the public believe that 'control freaks' in Westminster are pulling the strings."