Penrith and The Border (UK Parliament constituency)

Penrith and the Border is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Cumbria represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Rory Stewart, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

History

Penrith and the Border was first contested in 1950 since which it has to date been a safe Conservative seat and on rare occasions a marginal. The Conservatives came close to losing the seat in a 1983 by-election, when the former cabinet minister 'Willie' Whitelaw became the leader of the House of Lords: the by-election took place a mere seven weeks after his success in the 1983 general election. Since that year the Liberal Democrats have come second behind the Conservatives until the 2015 general election when they came fourth.

History of boundaries

The constituency was created in 1950 by merging part of Penrith and Cockermouth with North Cumberland. The constituency was enlarged in the 1980s by taking first most of the northern part of the former Westmorland constituency and later the Kirkby Stephen/Tebay area of the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.

From 1983-1997, the constituency was formed from:

• Aspatria, Boltons, Marsh, Silloth, Tarns, Wampool, Warnell, Waver, and Wigton in Allerdale District
• Arthuret, Brampton, Burgh, Dalston, Great Corby and Geltsdale, Hayton, Irthing, Lyne, St Cuthbert Without, Stanwix Rural, and Wetheral in the City of Carlisle
• Alston Moor, Appleby, Appleby Bongate, Askham, Brough, Crosby Ravensworth, Dacre, Eamont, Greystoke, Hartside, Hesket, Kirkby Thore, Kirkoswald, Langwathby, Lazonby, Long Marton, Lowther, Penrith East, Penrith North, Penrith South, Penrith West, Skelton, Ullswater, and Warcop in Eden District

Penrith and The Border is the largest constituency by area in England. Despite the name it only includes part of the English border with Scotland. The neighbouring constituency of Hexham (together with Berwick-upon-Tweed) also takes in the border area. The name stems from the fact that when the constituency was first created it consisted of the Penrith Rural and Urban Districts, the Border Rural District and also the Alston with Garrigill Rural District

Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which slightly altered this constituency for the 2010 general election since which it includes the following electoral wards:

• Alston Moor, Appleby, Appleby (Bongate), Askham, Brough, Crosby Ravensworth, Dacre, Eamont, Greystoke, Hartside, Hesket, Kirkby Stephen, Kirkby Thore, Kirkoswald, Langwathby, Lazonby, Long Marton, Lowther, Morland, Orton with Tebay, Penrith: Carleton, East, North, Pategill, South and West; Ravenstonedale, Shap, Skelton, Ullswater, and Warcop, i.e. the Eden District
• Brampton, Great Corby and Geltsdale, Hayton, Irthing, Longtown and Rockcliffe, Lyne and Stanwix Rural in the City of Carlisle
• Warnell, and Wigton in Allerdale District 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England

Constituency profile

A heavily undulating, mostly farmed terrain dotted by market towns and historic villages, with wooded mountainsides and heath-covered tops, the constituency is focussed on the Eden Valley beside the Pennines and the Lake District, with the vale of the River Irthing above Carlisle. In the north towards Scotland are 8 of its 42 wards all beside or in the market town of Brampton which sits beside Hadrian's Wall.

The constituency tends to have modest incomes,2001 Census low unemploymentUnemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian and a rate of dependency on social housing lower than urban centres2011 census interactive maps

Members of Parliament

Despite its location, Penrith and the Border has been continuously represented by Scots MPs for the last sixty years. The seat was represented for nearly three decades by William Whitelaw, who served as a cabinet minister in various capacities during Conservative governments of the 1970s and 1980s and later joined the House of Lords. His successor the former Conservative Chief Whip and junior minister, David Maclean sat as MP from 1983 to 2010 when he stood down due to the state of his health; he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996. He was succeeded by Rory Stewart.

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

See also

• Penrith and the Border by-election, 1983
• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Cumbria

Notes and references

Notes

References

Coordinates: 54°42′N 2°42′W / 54.7°N 2.7°W / 54.7; -2.7