North West · England · 77,935Boundary · 2023

Penrith & Solway

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Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Penrith and The Border.

Dispatch
Apr 2026

A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review. Won by Lab in its first election in 2024. Covers Penrith, Maryport and Cockermouth. Population 106,855, notably older (median age 49 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 41% below the national average.

One of Labour's most notable rebels of this parliament, Markus Campbell-Savours made headlines when he became the only Labour MP to vote against the government's cap on Agricultural Property Relief -- the inheritance tax change that hit farming estates hard. He lost the whip in December 2025 as a result, sitting as an independent for three months before being reinstated in March 2026 after the government reversed course on the policy. He has also deviated from his party on assisted dying, voting for amendments to tighten eligibility criteria around voluntary stopping of eating and drinking -- placing him noticeably to the cautious end of his party on that issue, despite being broadly more supportive of assisted dying access than the Labour average overall.

At 90% voting participation, Campbell-Savours is above the Commons average and votes with Labour 97% of the time outside his headline rebellions. His speeches -- 78 contributions across 59 debates -- concentrate on the economy, local government, social care, health, and defence, reflecting the rural and public-service pressures of a large Cumbrian constituency. His stance profile shows strong alignment with workers' rights and housing development, but low alignment with pro-business and pro-parliamentary-scrutiny positions. He has also publicly challenged a GP surgery partner over "ongoing turmoil" at a local practice, tabling parliamentary motions calling for contract removal.

437
Commons votes
This parliament
£27k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
77.9k
Electorate
2024 GE

One of the oldest constituencies — median age 49.

Current Member of Parliament

Markus Campbell-Savours

Markus Campbell-Savours

Labour Party

Markus Campbell-Savours is the Labour MP for Penrith and Solway, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.

Notable Votes

Vote on a Budget Resolution to limit Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief for inheritance tax, capping the full relief available on farm and business assets. This matters because it changes how farming estates and family businesses are taxed on death, and was highly controversial with farming communities.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have voluntarily stopped eating and drinking. The amendment aimed to close a potential loophole where a person might use self-starvation to meet the terminal illness criteria they would not otherwise meet.

MP voted NoAgainst party majority

MPs voted on the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — the final Commons vote on whether to pass the assisted dying legislation in its amended form. Passing Third Reading sends the Bill to the House of Lords.

MP voted NoAgainst party majority

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Voting at a Glance

A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review. Won by Lab in its first election in 2024. Covers Penrith, Maryport and Cockermouth. Population 106,855, notably older (median age 49 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 41% below the national average.

2024 General Election

§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Campbell-Savours’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.449 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Campbell-Savours has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Taxation
85
Economy
77
Crime & Policing
43
Education
41
Employment
38
Welfare and Benefits
29
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Budget Resolution No. 50: Inheritance tax (limiting agricultural and business property reliefs etc)02 Dec 2025
No
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 9420 Jun 2025 · free vote
No
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Third Reading20 Jun 2025 · free vote
No
§ 08The local picture.15 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Alston FellsideMary Robinson984Independ
Alston FellsideMichael Timothy Hanley824Labour P
AspatriaKevin Thurlow575Independ
Bothel WharrelsJill Perry870Green Pa
Cockermouth NorthHelen Tucker1,025Labour P
Dalston BurghTrevor Allison1,142Liberal
Dearham BroughtonMartin Trevor Mundahl Harris806Labour P
Hesket LazonbyColin Atkinson676Conserva
Hesket LazonbyHilary Frances Carrick658Conserva
KeswickMarkus Campbell-Savours1,340Labour P
Maryport NorthCarni McCarron-Holmes675Labour P
Penrith NorthMark Brian Rudhall820Liberal
Population (2021 Census)
106,855
Electorate 77,935 · 2024 register
Median income
£26,900
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
14.0%
England average 20.0%
Schools
77
64 primary · 10 secondary
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More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.