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Westmorland and Lonsdale (UK Parliament constituency)

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Westmorland and Lonsdale is a constituency[n 1] in the south of Cumbria, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by Tim Farron, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats (2015–2017).

Westmorland and Lonsdale
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map of constituency
Boundary of Westmorland and Lonsdale in North West England
CountyCumbria
Electorate72,322 (2023) [1]
Major settlementsGrange-over-Sands, Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Kirkby Lonsdale
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentTim Farron (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromMorecambe and Lonsdale and Westmorland

Westmorland and Lonsdale is the Liberal Democrats' longest continuously held seat in England, as the only English seat they have won in every election since 2005.

Constituency profile

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Map of boundaries before 2024 general election

Created in 1983, the seat is named after the historic county of Westmorland and the Lancashire Hundred of Lonsdale, both of which extend beyond the bounds of the constituency. Important towns by size in the constituency include Kendal, Windermere and Appleby-in-Westmorland. This is one of a minority of rural seats where residents voted to Remain in the European Union in 2016.

Boundaries

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Historic

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1983–1997:

  • The District of Eden wards of:
    • Kirkby Stephen,
    • Orton with Tebay,
    • Ravenstonedale
    • Shap
  • and the District of South Lakeland wards of:
    • Arnside,
    • Beetham,
    • Broughton,
    • Burneside,
    • Burton and Holme,
    • Cartmel,
    • Cartmel Fell,
    • Colton and Haverthwaite,
    • Coniston,
    • Crake Valley,
    • Endmoor,
    • Grange,
    • Hawkshead,
    • Holker,
    • Hutton,
    • Kendal Castle,
    • Kendal Far Cross,
    • Kendal Fell,
    • Kendal Glebelands,
    • Kendal Heron Hill,
    • Kendal Highgate,
    • Kendal Mintsfeet,
    • Kendal Nether,
    • Kendal Oxenholme,
    • Kendal Stonecross,
    • Kendal Strickland,
    • Kendal Underley,
    • Kirkby Lonsdale,
    • Lakes Ambleside,
    • Lakes Grasmere,
    • Levens,
    • Lyth Valley,
    • Milnthorpe,
    • Sedbergh,
    • Staveley-in-Westmorland,
    • Whinfell,
    • Windermere Applethwaite,
    • Windermere Bowness North,
    • Windermere Bowness South,
    • Windermere Town.[2]

1997–2010: As above, excluding the District of Eden wards which were transferred to Penrith and The Border.[3]

2010–2024: The District of South Lakeland wards of:

This boundary change transferred Broughton-in-Furness to Barrow and Furness.

Current

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The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies was carried out using the local authority structure as it existed in Cumbria on 1 December 2020 and is officially defined as:

  • The District of Eden wards of:
    • Appleby (Appleby);
    • Appleby (Bongate);
    • Askham;
    • Brough;
    • Crosby Ravensworth;
    • Dacre;
    • Eamont;
    • Greystoke;
    • Kirkby Stephen;
    • Kirkby Thore;
    • Long Marton;
    • Morland;
    • Orton and Tebay;
    • Ravenstonedale;
    • Shap;
    • Ullswater;
    • Warcop.
  • The District of South Lakeland wards of:
    • Ambleside & Grasmere;
    • Bowness & Levens;
    • Broughton & Coniston (polling districts AF, AO, AP, AQ, AS, AT, AU, BC, BDA, BDB, CX and DH);
    • Cartmel;
    • Grange;
    • Kendal East;
    • Kendal North;
    • Kendal Rural;
    • Kendal South & Natland;
    • Kendal Town;
    • Kendal West;
    • Windermere.[5]

With effect from 1 April 2023, the Districts of Eden and South Lakeland were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Westmorland and Furness.[6] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following wards of Westmorland and Furness from the 2024 general election:

  • Appleby and Brough;
  • Bowness and Lyth;
  • Coniston and Hawkshead (nearly all);
  • Eamont and Shap;
  • Eden and Lyvennet Vale;
  • Grange and Cartmel;
  • Greystoke and Ullswater;
  • Kendal Castle;
  • Kendal Highgate;
  • Kendal Nether;
  • Kendal South (majority);
  • Kendal Strickland and Fell;
  • Kirkby Stephen and Tebay;
  • Levens and Crooklands (majority);
  • Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale (part);
  • Upper Kent;
  • Windermere and Ambleside.[7]

The constituency was expanded by adding parts of the former District of Eden, including the market towns of Appleby-in-Westmorland and Kirkby Stephen, previously in the abolished constituency of Penrith and The Border. To partly offset this, the former District of South Lakeland wards of Arnside & Milnthorpe, Burton & Crooklands, and Sedbergh & Kirkby Lonsdale were included in Morecambe and Lunesdale, thereby making the latter a cross-county boundary constituency.

The new constituency is made up of part of the previous constituency (41.7% by area and 72.3% by population of the new constituency) and part of the former Penrith and The Border constituency (58.3% by area and 27.7% by population of the new constituency).[8]

History

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Having been a Conservative-dominated seat since its creation in 1983, the 1997 general election saw the Conservatives' majority cut to fewer than 5,000 votes. This was further reduced at the 2001 general election. In 2005, the constituency featured among a list of seats held by high-profile Conservatives (in this case Shadow Education Secretary Tim Collins) targeted by the Liberal Democrats by deploying supporters from across each region in what was referred in the media as a "decapitation strategy".[9] In the 2005 election, Tim Farron gained the seat by a marginal majority of 267 votes.

At the 2010 general election, the local electorate caused the largest Conservative-to-Lib Dem swing nationally, of 11.1% — equally the lowest share of the vote for Labour (2.2%, one of five lost deposits for Labour), nationally. With 96.2% of votes cast for either the Conservative or Liberal Democrat candidates, Westmorland and Lonsdale had the highest combined share of the vote cast for the Coalition parties.

Contrasting with its long-term Conservative support, the combined Conservative/UKIP vote narrowly failed to reach 40% in 2015. Equally, Farron, who would become Leader of the Liberal Democrats two months later; was the only member of his party to secure an absolute majority (over 50%) of votes cast, after what was a poor result for the party nationwide with their seat count reduced from 57 seats to 8.[10][11] In 2017 (when Farron was Lib Dem leader), Farron's majority fell to just 777 votes. However, in 2019, he was re-elected with a majority increased to 1,934.

Following boundary changes, it was estimated that the reconfigured Westmorland and Lonsdale would have been won by the Conservatives in 2019 with a majority of over 5,000. Despite this, the 2024 general election saw a large increase in Farron's majority to 21,472, the 3rd largest majority of all UK constituencies in the election behind Bootle and Hornsey and Friern Barnet. By many measures — the total votes cast, the size of the majority, and the margin of victory — this was the Liberal Democrats' strongest result nationwide. It was also the only constituency where the Labour candidate lost their deposit by polling less than 5% of the vote.[12]

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[13] Party
1983 Michael Jopling Conservative
1997 Tim Collins Conservative
2005 Tim Farron Liberal Democrats

Elections

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Westmorland election results

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Westmorland and Lonsdale
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 31,061 62.7 +22.0
Conservative Matty Jackman 9,589 19.4 −30.8
Reform UK James Townley 4,842 9.8 +8.7
Labour Pippa Smith 2,306 4.7 −2.2
Green Phil Clayton 1,486 3.0 +2.5
Independent John Studholme 111 0.2 N/A
Heritage Izzy Solabarrieta 81 0.2 N/A
SDP Wendy Long 57 0.1 N/A
Majority 21,472 43.3
Turnout 49,533 68.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +26.4

The notional 2019 election result for the revised constituency was calculated to be a Conservative victory. Hence, the 2024 general election result was described as "Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative", although Liberal Democrat Tim Farron was re-elected in the seat he had served since 2005.[14][15]

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Westmorland and Lonsdale[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 25,795 48.9 +3.1
Conservative James Airey 23,861 45.3 +1.0
Labour Phillip Black 2,293 4.4 −4.9
Brexit Party Steven Bolton 763 1.5 N/A
Majority 1,934 3.6 +2.1
Turnout 52,712 77.8 −0.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +1.1

In 2019, Westmorland and Lonsdale was one of five English constituencies, the others being Esher and Walton, East Devon, Cheltenham and Winchester, where Labour failed to obtain over 5% of the vote and lost their deposit.[18]

General election 2017: Westmorland and Lonsdale[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 23,686 45.8 −5.7
Conservative James Airey 22,909 44.3 +11.1
Labour Eli Aldridge 4,783 9.3 +3.8
Independent Mr Fishfinger 309 0.6 N/A
Majority 777 1.5 −16.8
Turnout 51,687 77.9 +3.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −8.4
General election 2015: Westmorland and Lonsdale[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 25,194 51.5 −8.5
Conservative Ann Myatt 16,245 33.2 −3.0
UKIP Alan Piper 3,031 6.2 +4.6
Labour John Bateson 2,661 5.4 +3.2
Green Chris Loynes 1,798 3.7 N/A
Majority 8,949 18.3 −5.5
Turnout 48,929 74.3 −1.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −2.8
General election 2010: Westmorland and Lonsdale[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 30,896 60.0 +14.1
Conservative Gareth McKeever 18,632 36.2 −8.1
Labour Jonathan Todd 1,158 2.2 −5.6
UKIP John Mander 801 1.6 +0.2
Majority 12,264 23.8
Turnout 51,487 75.8 +5.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Westmorland and Lonsdale[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 22,569 45.5 +5.1
Conservative Tim Collins 22,302 44.9 ―2.0
Labour John Reardon 3,796 7.6 ―3.3
UKIP Robert Gibson 660 1.3 +0.1
Independent Anthony Kemp 309 0.6 New
Majority 267 0.6 ―5.9
Turnout 49,636 71.6 +3.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +3.5
General election 2001: Westmorland and Lonsdale[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Collins 22,486 46.9 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Tim Farron 19,339 40.4 +7.0
Labour John Bateson 5,234 10.9 ―9.7
UKIP Robert Gibson 552 1.2 New
Independent Timothy Bell 292 0.6 New
Majority 3,147 6.5 ―2.6
Turnout 47,903 67.8 ―6.3
Conservative hold Swing ―1.2

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Westmorland and Lonsdale[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Collins 21,463 42.3 ―14.6
Liberal Democrats Stanley Collins 16,942 33.4 +5.9
Labour John Harding 10,452 20.6 +5.5
Referendum Michael Smith 1,924 3.8 New
Majority 4,521 8.9 ―20.5
Turnout 50,781 74.1 ―3.7
Conservative hold Swing ―10.3
General election 1992: Westmorland and Lonsdale[27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Jopling 31,798 56.9 ―0.7
Liberal Democrats Stanley Collins 15,362 27.5 ―1.7
Labour Dickon Abbott 8,436 15.1 +1.9
Natural Law Robert Johnstone 287 0.5 New
Majority 16,436 29.4 +1.0
Turnout 55,883 77.8 ―3.0
Conservative hold Swing +0.5

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Westmorland and Lonsdale[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Jopling 30,259 57.6 ―3.7
Liberal Stanley Collins 15,339 29.2 +2.1
Labour Shaun Halfpenny 6,968 13.2 +3.3
Majority 14,920 28.4 ―5.8
Turnout 52,566 74.8 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing ―2.9
General election 1983: Westmorland and Lonsdale[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Michael Jopling 29,775 61.3
Liberal Ken Hulls 13,188 27.1
Labour Chris Stott 4,798 9.9
Ecology Robert Gibson 805 1.7
Majority 16,587 34.2
Turnout 48,566 72.3
Conservative win (new seat)

Note: The Robert Gibson who stood in this election and the similarly named candidate in 2001 and 2005 are not the same person.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).

References

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" (PDF).
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995".
  4. ^ "2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England" (PDF). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  6. ^ "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  7. ^ "New Seat Details - Westmorland and Lonsdale". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Westmorland and Lonsdale (31 May 2024 - ) - overlaps". UK Parliament election results. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  9. ^ Lyon, Sam (6 May 2005). "Senior Tories avoid Lib Dem "decaptitation"". Evening Standard.
  10. ^ Gosden, Emily (9 May 2015). "Liberal Democrat survivors round on Nick Clegg". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  11. ^ Harris, John (12 July 2015). "The strange death of the Liberal Democrats". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  12. ^ Cracknell, Richard; Baker, Carl (18 July 2024). "General election 2024 results" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  13. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 3)
  14. ^ "Notional election for the constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale on 12 December 2019". UK Parliament election results. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Westmorland and Lonsdale - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). southlakeland.gov.uk. South Lakeland Council. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Westmorland & Lonsdale parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Lord Buckethead among candidates to lose deposit". 13 December 2019 – via www.bbc.com.
  19. ^ "UK Parliamentary election: Westmorland & Lonsdale constituency - Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). South Lakeland District Council. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Westmorland & Lonsdale". BBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ^ Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservatives, Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservatives
  24. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  29. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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54°18′43″N 2°52′48″W / 54.312°N 2.880°W / 54.312; -2.880

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