Penrith and The Border (UK Parliament constituency)

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Penrith and the Border
County constituency
for the House of Commons
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Boundary of Penrith and the Border in Cumbria.
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Location of Cumbria within England.
County Cumbria
Electorate 65,234 (December 2010)Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Major settlements Appleby-in-Westmorland, Brampton, Penrith and Wigton
Current constituency
Created 1950
Member of parliament Rory Stewart (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from Penrith & CockermouthNorth Cumberland
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency North West England

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:

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:

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.

Election Member[1] Party
1950 Robert Scott Conservative
1955 William Whitelaw Conservative
1983 by-election David Maclean Conservative
2010 Rory Stewart Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Penrith and The Border[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rory Stewart 26,202 59.7 +6.3
Labour Lee Rushworth 6,308 14.4 +1.4
UKIP John Stanyer 5,353 12.2 +9.4
Liberal Democrat Neil Hughes 3,745 8.5 -19.9
Green George Burrow 2,313 5.3 +5.3
Majority 19,894 45.3
Turnout 43,921 67.4
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 2010: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rory Stewart 24,071 53.4 +2.0
Liberal Democrat Peter Thornton 12,830 28.5 +2.6
Labour Barbara Cannon 5,834 12.9 −6.1
UKIP John Stanyer 1,259 2.8 +0.3
BNP Chris Davidson 1,093 2.4 N/A
Majority 11,241 24.9 −0.6
Turnout 45,087 69.9 +3.2
Conservative hold Swing −0.3

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Maclean 24,046 51.3 −3.6
Liberal Democrat Kenneth Geyve Walker 12,142 25.9 +4.1
Labour Michael William Boaden 8,958 19.1 +0.6
UKIP William Robinson 1,187 2.5 +0.4
Legalise Cannabis Mark Gibson 549 1.2 −0.8
Majority 11,904 25.4
Turnout 46,882 66.1 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing −3.9
General Election 2001: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Maclean 24,302 54.9 +7.3
Liberal Democrat Kenneth Geyve Walker 9,625 21.8 −4.9
Labour Michael William Boaden 8,177 18.5 −3.1
UKIP Thomas Scott Anthony Lowther 938 2.1 N/A
Legalise Cannabis Mark Gibson 870 2.0 N/A
Independent John James Moffat 337 0.8 N/A
Majority 14,677 33.1
Turnout 44,249 64.5 −9.1
Conservative hold Swing +6.1

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Maclean 23,300 47.6 −11.1
Liberal Democrat Kenneth Geyve Walker 13,067 26.7 −2.3
Labour Margaret Meling 10,576 21.6 +10.6
Referendum Charles Pope 2,018 4.1 N/A
Majority 10,233 20.9 −8.8
Turnout 48,961 73.6
Conservative hold Swing −4.4
General Election 1992: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Maclean 33,808 57.5 −2.7
Liberal Democrat Kenneth Geyve Walker 15,359 26.1 −2.6
Labour John Metcalfe 8,871 15.1 +4.0
Green Robert A. Gibson 610 1.0 +1.0
Natural Law Ian Docker 129 0.2 +0.2
Majority 18,449 31.4 −0.2
Turnout 58,777 79.7 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing −0.1

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Maclean 33,148 60.3 +1.5
Liberal David James Ivison 15,782 28.7 +0.8
Labour John Matthew Patrick Hutton 6,075 11.0 −2.3
Majority 17,366 31.6 +1.5
Turnout 55,005 77.5 +4.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.8
By-election 1983: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Maclean 17,530 46.0 −12.8
Liberal Michael Alan Young 16,978 44.6 +16.7
Labour Lindsay Williams 2,834 7.4 −5.8
Monster Raving Loony Screaming Lord Sutch 412 1.1 N/A
Retired Naval Officer Eric Morgan 150 0.4 N/A
Death off Roads: Freight on Rail Helen Mary Anscomb 72 0.2 N/A
Independent Socialist John Connell 69 0.2 N/A
New Britain Peter Smith 35 0.1 N/A
Majority 552 1.4 −29.5
Turnout 38,080 55.9 −17.2
Conservative hold Swing −14.8
General Election 1983: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 29,304 58.8 −2.4
Liberal Michael Alan Young 13,883 27.9 +11.4
Labour Lindsay Williams 6,612 13.3 −9.1
Majority 15,421 30.1 −8.7
Turnout 49,799 73.1 −3.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 26,940 61.2
Labour L.R. West 9,844 22.4
Liberal B. Wates 7,257 16.5
Majority 17,096 38.8
Turnout 76.98
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 23,547 58.06
Labour Joseph Norman David Weedall 9,791 24.14
Liberal Joseph Gurney Pease 7,215 17.79
Majority 13,756 33.92
Turnout 72.93
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 26,433 60.12
Labour Joseph Norman David Weedall 9,095 20.69
Liberal Peter Alexander 8,202 18.66
Independent William Hesmondalgh 235 0.53
Majority 17,338 39.44
Turnout 79.79
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 23,800 58.95
Labour R. Longworth 10,256 25.40
Liberal W. Jackson 6,316 15.64
Majority 13,544 33.55
Turnout 74.39
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 20,982 52.69
Labour Mrs. Kate M.A. Roberts 12,081 30.34
Liberal John R. Howe 6,757 16.97
Majority 8,901 22.35
Turnout 78.66
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 21,288 51.78
Labour Mrs. Kate M.A. Roberts 10,490 25.59
Liberal W. Jackson 9,279 22.63
Majority 10,738 26.19
Turnout 80.64
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 23,551 58.16
Labour Bernard P. Atha 9,342 23.07
Liberal Brian G. Ashmore 7,602 18.77
Majority 14,209 35.09
Turnout 79.11
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Whitelaw 22,791 57.52
Labour Thomas L MacDonald 9,119 23.02
Liberal Frederick James Sleath 7,342 18.53
Independent Conservative William Brownrigg 368 0.93
Majority 13,672 34.51
Turnout 77.88
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Scott 23,274 54.07
Labour John Rafferty 10,759 24.99
Liberal Stafford Vaughan Stepney Howard 8,857 20.57
Independent Conservative William Brownrigg 158 0.37
Majority 12,515 29.07
Turnout 83.47
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Penrith and The Border
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Scott 21,214 48.23
Liberal Wilfrid Hugh Wace Roberts 12,333 28.04
Labour C.J. Taylor 10,441 23.74
Majority 8,881 20.19
Turnout 85.26
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
References
  1. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 2)[self-published source][better source needed]
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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