The number of MPs in Scotland will be cut from 59 to 53 when wide-ranging constituencies are announced on Thursday.

Some senior politicians are expected to have their seats axed under the plans, which will reduce the total number of Westminster MPs from 650 to 600 and minimise variations in the size of electorates.

Each seat should be no smaller than 71,031 voters and no larger than 78,507, the new recommendations will say.

There are exceptions to this rule, including the Scottish island constituencies of Orkney and Shetland and Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles).

Figures show only 11 of 57 Scottish seats, excluding the two exempted island seats, have the recommended electorate size, with five above it and the remaining 41 below.

The SNP will be hardest hit as it won 56 of the current 59 Scottish seats at the 2015 general election.

Analysts are also trying to assess if the proposed changes will threaten the single seats each held by Labour and the Conservatives.

Edinburgh and Glasgow are each expected to lose a constituency under the plans.

In Edinburgh, this could affect Ian Murray - Labour's sole MP north of the border, who represents Edinburgh South.

It could also potentially affect SNP frontbenchers Deirdre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) and Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) and Michelle Thomson (Edinburgh West) who was originally elected for the SNP but now sits as an independent.

The changes could affect MPs in Glasgow including SNP education spokeswoman Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) and Natalie McGarry (Glasgow East), originally elected as SNP but now sitting as an independent.

McGarry was charged last month in connection with alleged fraud offences.

If the Highlands region loses a seat, SNP transport spokesman Drew Hendry's Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency would be affected.

Former Scottish Nationalist leader Alex Salmond, now SNP international affairs spokesman, could retain his Gordon constituency as it is one of the few that currently falls within the specified electorate range.

This will depend on the knock-on effects of changes to neighbouring seats.

Most other SNP frontbenchers at Westminster, including new deputy leader Angus Robertson (Moray), have seats with electorates falling below the minimum required.

The shake-up will be implemented for the UK general election in 2020 but its full impact will not be known until experts have been able to analyse the revised proposals in early 2018 and the final proposals in October 2018.

Lord Matthews, deputy chairman of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, said: "Today is the start of a process, and we now want to hear the views of the public.

"We will reflect on responses to the consultation and makes changes if needed where the legislation allows us to do so."

The Scotland Boundary Commission's initial proposals follow those published last month by the three other boundary commissions for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The number of MPs will be cut from 533 to 501 in England, from 40 to 29 in Wales and from 18 to 17 in Northern Ireland.

Labour appears set to lose the most seats in England and Wales, including party leader Jeremy Corbyn's Islington North constituency.

The Westminster constituencies review has no direct implications for Scottish Parliament constituencies, which will be the subject of a separate review by the Scotland Boundary Commission due to start in 2018.