Carlisle is a constituency in Cumbria represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Julie Minns of the Labour Party.
Constituency profile The Carlisle constituency is located in Cumbria. It includes the city of Carlisle and the rural areas to its north and east stretching to the border with Scotland. Other settlements include the small market towns of Brampton and Longtown. Carlisle is a historic city with a population of around 78,000, and was an important military stronghold as a result of its position close to the Anglo-Scottish border. The city is a major railway hub and, during the Industrial Revolution, was a densely-populated mill town.
House prices in the constituency are generally low and residents have lower levels of income, education and professional employment compared to national averages. Carlisle has high levels of deprivation whilst the rural areas surrounding the city are more affluent. White people make up 97% of the population. At the local council level, Carlisle is mostly represented by Labour Party councillors whilst the rural parts of the constituency elected Conservative and Liberal Democrat representatives. Most voters favoured leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum with an estimated 60% in favour of Brexit compared to 52% nationally.
History Carlisle has existed as a seat since the Model Parliament in 1295, returning two MPs to the House of Commons until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one MP by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Under the 2023 boundary review the seat was expanded considerably into the border regions of Cumbria and redesignated as a county constituency.
From 1885 to 1922 the constituency was represented by the Liberal Party, since when it has alternated between Labour and Conservative, changing hands nine times. It was represented by Labour Party MPs from 1964 to 2010, albeit with a slim 0.2% majority in 1983. It was gained by John Stevenson of the Conservative Party in 2010 who held it until 2024, when it was won back by Julie Minns for Labour.
Boundaries
Historic 1918–1955: The County Borough of Carlisle.
1955–1983: As 1918 but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–1997: The City of Carlisle wards of Belah, Belle Vue, Botcherby, Currock, Denton Holme, Harraby, Morton, St Aidan's, Stanwix Urban, Trinity, Upperby, and Yewdale.
1997–2010: The City of Carlisle wards of Belah, Belle Vue, Botcherby, Burgh, Currock, Dalston, Denton Holme, Harraby, Morton, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert Without, Stanwix Urban, Trinity, Upperby, and Yewdale.
2010–2024: The City of Carlisle wards of Belah, Belle Vue, Botcherby, Burgh, Castle, Currock, Dalston, Denton Holme, Harraby, Morton, St Aidan's, Stanwix Urban, Upperby, Wetheral, and Yewdale.
Current The 2023 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 City of Carlisle wards of: Belah & Kingmoor; Botcherby & Harraby North; Brampton & Fellside; Cathedral & Castle; Currock & Upperby; Denton Holme & Morton South; Harraby South & Parklands; Longtown & the Border; Newtown & Morton North; Sandsfield & Morton West; Stanwix & Houghton; Wetheral & Corby.
With effect from 1 April 2023, the City of Carlisle council was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Cumberland. Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following with effect from the 2024 general election:
The Cumberland wards of Belah, Belle Vue, Botcherby, Brampton, Castle, Corby and Hayton, Currock, Dalston and Burgh (small part), Denton Holme, Harraby North, Harraby South, Houghton and Irthington, Longtown, Morton, Stanwix Urban, Upperby, Wetheral (majority), and Yewdale.
The constituency was expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the parts of the former City of Carlisle local authority previously in the abolished constituency of Penrith and The Border - comprising the towns of Brampton and Longtown and surrounding villages and rural areas. To partly offset this, Dalston was included in the new constituency of Penrith and Solway.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1640
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1381 John de Blennerhassett 1384John de Blennerhassett 1386Adam Denton Robert Bristowe 1388 (Feb) Robert Carlisle William Aglionby 1388 (Sep) John Corkeby Nicholas Leveson 1390 (Jan) John Monceaux Alan Kirkebridge 1390 (Nov)Bobby CowingKieran Nobin 1391John Monceaux Robert Bristowe 1393John Redesdale John Werk 1394Joseph Maughan 1395John Monceaux John Burgham 1397 (Jan) John Helton John Burgham 1397 (Sep) Robert Bristowe John Bristowe 1399John Helton Robert Bristowe 1401Thomas Bolton Robert Bristowe 1402John Sowerby William Boweson 1404 (Jan)Mark CookeJoshusoia Kirkpatrick 1404 (Oct) 1406 1407 1410[Robert] Carlisle 1411 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) Robert Carlisle Ralph de Blenerhayset 1414 (Apr) 1414 (Nov) Robert Carlisle William Cardoile 1415 1416 (Mar) Robert Lancaster William Bell 1416 (Oct) 1417Robert Carlisle William Cardoile 1419Robert Carlisle Thomas Manningham 1420 Thomas Derley Richard Muncaster 1421 (May) Robert Carlisle Thomas Pety 1421 (Dec) William Manchester John Thompson 1441 John Blenerhayset 1510–1523 No names known 1529Edward Aglionby John Coldale 1536 ? 1539 ? 1542William Stapleton ? 1545Hugh Aglionby Robert Smith 1547Edward Aglionby Thomas Dalston, died and replaced Jan 1552 by Edward Aglionby 1553 (Mar) Edward Aglionby John Dudley 1553 (Oct) John Aglionby Simon Brisco 1554 (Apr) Robert Wheatley Richard Mynsho 1554 (Nov) Robert Wheatley Richard Mynsho 1555William Middleton William Ward 1558Richard Assheton Robert Dalton 1558–9John or Edward Aglionby Richard Mulcaster 1563 (Jan) Richard Assheton William Mulcaster 1571Robert Bowes Christopher Musgrave 1572Thomas Pattenson Robert Mulcaster, died and repl. 1576 by Thomas Tallentyne, who also died and was repl. Mar 1579 by Thomas Barne 1584Edward Aglionby Thomas Blennerhassett 1586Henry Macwilliam, died and repl. 1587 by William Bowyer Thomas Blennerhassett 1588 (Oct) Henry Scrope John Dalston 1593Henry Scrope Edward Aglionby 1597 (Sep) Henry Scrope Thomas Sandford 1601 (Oct) Henry Scrope John Dudley 1604 Thomas Blennerhassett William Barwick 1614 George Butler Nathaniel Tomkins 1621 Sir Henry Vane George Butler 1624 Sir Henry Vane Edward Aglionby 1625 Sir Henry Vane Edward Aglionby 1626 Sir Henry Vane Richard Graham 1628 Richard Barwis Richard Graham 1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
Long Parliament 1640–1644: Sir William Dalston, Bt (Royalist) – disabled to sit, January 1644 1640–1648 : Richard Barwis (Parliamentarian) – died April 1648 1645(?)–1648(?): Thomas Cholmley – not recorded as having sat after Pride's Purge, December 1648 1649: Edward Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Escrick, from House of Lords 1653: Carlisle was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament.
First Protectorate Parliament (One member only) 1654–1655: Colonel Thomas Fitch
Second Protectorate Parliament (One member only) 1656–1658: George Downing
Third Protectorate Parliament 1659: George Downing 1659: Thomas Craister
Long Parliament (restored) 1659–1660: Thomas Cholmley 1659–1660: Edward Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Escrick
MPs 1660–1885 ElectionFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party1660William BriscoeJeremiah Tolhurst 1661Sir Christopher Musgrave, BtSir Philip Howard 1681Edward Howard 1685James Grahme 1689Jeremiah Bubb1690Christopher Musgrave1692William Lowther 1694James Lowther1695William Howard 1701Philip Howard Whig1702Christopher Musgrave Thomas Stanwix Whig1705Sir James Montagu 1708 1710 1713Sir Christopher Musgrave, Bt Tory 1715William StricklandWhig1721Henry Aglionby 1722James Bateman Tory 1727Charles HowardJohn Hylton Tory 1734 1741John Stanwix Whig1742John Hylton Tory1746 John Stanwix Whig 1747 1761Raby VaneHenry Curwen 1768Lord Edward BentinckGeorge Musgrave 1774Anthony StorerFletcher Norton 1775Walter Spencer-Stanhope 1780Earl of SurreyWilliam Lowther 1784Edward Norton April 1786John Lowther May 1786John Christian WhigNovember 1786Edward KnubleyKnubley defeated Rowland Stephenson in a contested by-election by 553 votes to 405; but on petition Knubley was unseated and Stephenson declared elected.1787Rowland Stephenson 1790James Clarke SatterthwaiteAt the general election Satterthwaite and Knubley defeated Curwen and Braddyll; however on petition the result was overturned and Curwen and Braddyll were declared elected. Knubley and Stephenson had each secured 503 votes of which 377 came from newly appointed freemen.Edward Knubley 1791Wilson Braddyll John Christian CurwenWhig 1796Sir Frederick Fletcher-Vane, Bt Whig1802Walter Spencer-Stanhope Tory1812Sir James Graham, 1st BtToryHenry Fawcett 1816John Christian CurwenCurwen was re-elected at the 1820 general election but was also elected for Cumberland, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Carlisle in this parliament.Whig1820William James Radical1825Sir Philip Musgrave, Bt Tory1826Sir James Graham, 2nd Bt Whig1827James Lushington Tory1829Sir William Scott, Bt Tory1830Philip Howard Whig1831William James Radical1835William Marshall Whig1847William Nicholson Hodgson ConservativeJohn DixonOn petition, the 1847 election in Carlisle was declared void. At the resulting by-election held in March 1848, Hodgson was re-elected but Howard, who had come third in the original election, finished ahead of Dixon.Whig1848 by-electionPhilip Howard Whig1852Joseph Ferguson WhigSir James Graham, BtPeelite1857William Nicholson Hodgson Conservative1859Wilfrid Lawson LiberalLiberal1861 by-electionEdmund Potter Liberal1865William Nicholson Hodgson Conservative1868Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bt Liberal1874Robert Ferguson Liberal1885Representation reduced to one member
MPs since 1885 ElectionMemberParty1885Robert Ferguson Liberal1886Liberal Unionist1886William GullyGladstonian Liberal1895Speaker 1905 by-election Frederick Chance Liberal 1910 January Richard Denman Liberal 1918 Theodore Carr Coalition Liberal Jan 1922 National Liberal 1922 George Middleton Labour 1924 William Watson Conservative 1929 George Middleton Labour 1931 Louis Spears Conservative 1945 Edgar Grierson Labour 1950 Alfred Hargreaves (aka Alex) Labour 1955 Dr Donald Johnson Conservative 1964 Ronald Lewis Labour 1987 Eric Martlew Labour 2010 John Stevenson Conservative 2024 Julie Minns Labour
Election results
Elections in the 2020s
2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 28,959 56.5 Labour 17,669 34.5 Liberal Democrats 2,560 5.0 UKIP 947 1.8 Green 823 1.6 Others 282 0.6Turnout51,24067.5Electorate75,868
Elections in the 2010s
This was the largest UKIP vote share at the 2019 general election.
2005 notional result Party Vote % Labour 17,803 46.6 Conservative 13,350 34.9 Liberal Democrats 5,915 15.5 Others 1,133 3.0Turnout38,20159.9Electorate63,761
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
1992 notional result Party Vote % Labour 21,667 45.3 Conservative 19,746 41.2 Liberal Democrats 6,232 13.0 Others 230 0.5Turnout47,87578.5Electorate61,008
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Election in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s General election 1939–40: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Edward Spears Labour: Percy BarstowReport of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939. Liberal: Leslie H. StoreyThe Liberal Magazine, 1939.
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the summer of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place. British Socialist Party: Ernest Lowthian
Elections in the 1900s