Residents of Keswick will be voting to choose an MP for Penrith and Solway at the next general election, it has been announced.
At the last parliamentary poll in 2019, Keswick and Borrowdale were part of the Copeland constituency.
But a re-drawing of political boundaries has been taking place as part of a nationwide review by the Boundary Commission for England (BCE).
Originally, it had been suggested that Keswick go in a new seat called Copeland and the Western Lakes.
That plan was then scrapped with Keswick provisionally placed in a newly-configured Whitehaven and Workington seat.
But now the final choice to go before Parliament – published just this week by BCE – sees Keswick, and Borrowdale, feature in the new Penrith and Solway constituency instead.
Joining Keswick in the Penrith and Solway constituency will be Bassenthwaite, Braithwaite, Portinscale, Grange-in-Borrowdale, Rosthwaite, Watendlath, Seatoller and Seathwaite, along with Buttermere and Cockermouth. Meanwhile, residents in Threlkeld, Penruddock, Greystoke, and Mungrisdale will go in the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency. In Cumbria, the number of MPs elected is being cut from six to five.
During the consultation process, there had been calls for Keswick not to be “lumped in” with Whitehaven and Workington.
“Geographically, Keswick has more affinity with Eden, the Penrith area or Grasmere, south Lakes. We used to be with Workington, once again, geographically incorrect.” Another said: “The inclusion of Keswick with the predominantly north and west Cumbrian towns of Workington and Whitehaven makes little sense. Penrith is nearer, more used by Keswick residents.”
Another objector to Keswick going in with Whitehaven and Workington said: “Keswick has already been disadvantaged, having been in Allerdale Council, yet being represented by an MP whose main interest has been in Copeland. Why is it that Keswick has been lumped in with Workington and Whitehaven? Presumably, someone sitting in an office in London, responsible for looking at boundaries, has absolutely no idea as to the geography and culture of the areas in question, let alone any knowledge of existing infrastructure.”
The proposed candidates have yet to be chosen by all parties, although the Conservatives have selected current Workington MP Mark Jenkinson to stand in the new Penrith and Solway seat. The vast new constituency, home to an electorate of 76,720, spans from Alston in the east to Maryport in the west.
It also goes north to the fringes of Carlisle, and includes towns such as Silloth, Wigton and Cockermouth. Penrith and Solway will include parts of the old council districts of Allerdale, Carlisle and Eden.
Mr Jenkinson said: “The Boundary Commission heard that Keswick has stronger links to Penrith than it does to either Workington or Whitehaven. There were objections that the earlier forms of the Penrith and Solway constituency did not take proper account of the impact of physical geography, for example, on connectivity for rural constituents. When I was deputy leader of Allerdale Borough Council, Keswick was part of the borough council’s remit and it was a town I was proud to serve.
“I am pleased that Maryport, Cockermouth, Silloth and many of the villages which are part of my present constituency will be included in the Penrith and Solway Constituency for which I have been selected to stand as the Conservative candidate.”
Mr Farron welcomed the confirmed boundary changes which sees the layout of the seat change significantly. The new boundary lines move much further north with communities such as Kirkby Stephen, Appleby, and Greystoke being moved into Westmorland and Lonsdale.
Mr Farron said: “It’s really good to finally have clarity on the boundary changes for the next election. I am also excited by the prospect of fighting for those communities in north Westmorland who have been let down and ignored by the Conservatives on issues like housing, health, and sewage dumping in our beautiful lakes and rivers.”
