Penrith and The Border (UK Parliament constituency)

Penrith and The Border was a constituency in the United Kingdom Parliament. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons, using the first-past-the-post voting system. Located in Cumbria, in the North West of England, it covered a largely rural area including the market town of Penrith and much of the English side of the border with Scotland.

The constituency was created in 1950, replacing the earlier Penrith constituency. It was abolished for the 2019 general election, being largely replaced by the new Penrith and Solway constituency.

Historically, Penrith and The Border was a safe Conservative seat, consistently returning Conservative MPs with significant majorities for most of its existence. The area's economy was primarily agricultural, with tourism also playing an important role, particularly in the Lake District National Park which fell partially within its boundaries.

Notable former MPs for Penrith and The Border include William Whitelaw, who served as Home Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister under Margaret Thatcher.

The constituency boundaries changed several times throughout its history to reflect population shifts and boundary commission reviews. Prior to its abolition, it included the districts of Eden and part of Carlisle.

Following its abolition, the communities that comprised Penrith and The Border were largely split between the new constituencies of Penrith and Solway, and a smaller portion going to Workington.