Boundary Commission proposals to change the constituency boundaries in Cumbria would be detrimental to the county’s farmers the NFU is warning.
Under the proposals, the rural constituencies of Penrith and the Border and Westmorland and Lonsdale would be scrapped and replaced by a constituency called Kendal and Penrith.
In the south, the new constituency would include Arnside and Beetham, Burton and Holme, Levens, Crooklands, Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale, Kendal and Burneside. It would stretch as far north as Kirkoswald and Alston Moor and would also include Orton with Tebay, Kirkby Stephen, Shap, Appleby, Ravenstonedale, Warcop, Crosby Ravensworth, Brough and Penrith.
Keswick based hill farmer Will Cockbain, who is the NFU’s spokesman for the uplands, said: “It’s important that the boundaries reflect the activities and history of a constituency. Cumbria is a very diverse county with an industrial coastline, the picturesque Lake District and it also has some sizable conurbations.
“Out of the current six constituencies in Cumbria, two can be described as rural. It’s imperative that we don’t lose one of them, especially considering that farming is the county’s largest GDP contributor reflecting 20% of the county’s economy. Nationally, Cumbria is the country’s largest sheep producing area and one of the most productive milk fields. For that reason alone, surely it makes sense for Cumbria to have two rural voices in the House of Commons who fully understand the needs of the agricultural industry and champion rural issues.
“Farming in the north of Cumbria is very different to that of the south. Expecting one MP to know the intricate details of two very different types of farming whilst he or she also has to deal with the issues of a major city and town would inevitably result in agriculture suffering and the rural voice being weakened.”
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