The Clown of Pevensey Bay
Well-known member
CARLISLE
CANDIDATES
Lezley Gibson Legalise Cannabis Alliance
Eric Martlew Labour
Mike Mitchelson Conservative
William Robinson UK Independence Party
Steven Tweedie Liberal Democrat
KEY SEAT
This seat is Conservative target number 140
2001 Result: Won by LAB, majority 16.3%
Profile: This border city is situated in the north of Cumbria and is similar to Barrow & Furness in the south of the county. It is largely working-class, primarily industrial, yet surrounded by dramatic and beautiful upland countryside. Throughout the 1980s the seat remained a compact urban core, with its council estates and textile factories providing Labour with the mainstay of its support. Now major employers include Pirelli tyres, McVities biscuits, Eddie Stobart lorries, and Nestles. Almost 18% of the working population are in semi-skilled jobs. Wholesale and retail accounts for 21.6%. Part-time employees make up 22.5%. Overall the population is 99% white. There is also a large tourism sector. Carlisle has many places of historical interest including its cathedral and castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. Hadrian's Wall bisects the city, and the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle steam railway is also a major tourist attraction. Carlisle has been Labour since 1964 but often with the smallest of majorities (eg 71 in 1983). The current MP, Eric Martlew, has held the seat since 1987. After the 1995 boundary review, three wards from the neighbouring Conservative seat of Penrith and the Border were added and Carlisle was considered marginal. However, Eric Martlew increased his majority to 12,390, although it was more than halved to 5,702 in 2001, probably partly as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis which affected rural areas.
Full constituency list for North West
2001 RESULT FOR CARLISLE
Labour Labour 51.2%
Conservative Conservative 34.8%
Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrat 11.7%
Others Others 2.3%
CANDIDATES
Lezley Gibson Legalise Cannabis Alliance
Eric Martlew Labour
Mike Mitchelson Conservative
William Robinson UK Independence Party
Steven Tweedie Liberal Democrat
KEY SEAT
This seat is Conservative target number 140
2001 Result: Won by LAB, majority 16.3%
Profile: This border city is situated in the north of Cumbria and is similar to Barrow & Furness in the south of the county. It is largely working-class, primarily industrial, yet surrounded by dramatic and beautiful upland countryside. Throughout the 1980s the seat remained a compact urban core, with its council estates and textile factories providing Labour with the mainstay of its support. Now major employers include Pirelli tyres, McVities biscuits, Eddie Stobart lorries, and Nestles. Almost 18% of the working population are in semi-skilled jobs. Wholesale and retail accounts for 21.6%. Part-time employees make up 22.5%. Overall the population is 99% white. There is also a large tourism sector. Carlisle has many places of historical interest including its cathedral and castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. Hadrian's Wall bisects the city, and the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle steam railway is also a major tourist attraction. Carlisle has been Labour since 1964 but often with the smallest of majorities (eg 71 in 1983). The current MP, Eric Martlew, has held the seat since 1987. After the 1995 boundary review, three wards from the neighbouring Conservative seat of Penrith and the Border were added and Carlisle was considered marginal. However, Eric Martlew increased his majority to 12,390, although it was more than halved to 5,702 in 2001, probably partly as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis which affected rural areas.
Full constituency list for North West
2001 RESULT FOR CARLISLE
Labour Labour 51.2%
Conservative Conservative 34.8%
Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrat 11.7%
Others Others 2.3%
