Penrith and the Border is the largest constituency in England in terms of acreage. With an electorate of around 67,000, it is also one of the most sparsely populated, and its rural character has served the Conservatives well over the years.
Although Penrith and the Border has usually backed the Tories at general elections, when it comes to local politics, allegiance to mainstream parties goes out of the window. Apart from a handful of wards in Carlisle and Allerdale, most local election contests are fought in the District of Eden wards where 30 Independents currently serve, compared to just 3 councillors each for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats and 2 for Labour.
Completely encircling the seat of Carlisle and stretching from just short of Gretna Green in the north to the Yorkshire Dales in the south, Penrith and the Border deals mainly in agriculture but is also home to a good many well-off white-collar commuters - a potent mix for the Conservatives. Lakes, forests and fells combine to offer some of the country’s most beautiful scenery and tourism is a major industry.