On 30th Sept the LibDems won the by-election in Penrith West for Eden District Council. This is a two member ward and the vacancy was created by the resignation of the Conservative John Thompson. Virginia Taylor is the other sitting member in the ward and she led an intensive campaign for our Candidate [now Councillor] Roger Burgin. There was a good range of opposition but the sound of footfall on the streets of Penrith West came mostly from the LibDems, including at least three visits from Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron. Result - on a very low turn out - was:

Senior Liberal Democrats in Cumbria do not back the Labour leader of the county council for taking the decision to legally challenge the recently announced local government reorganisation.

Stewart Young has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Government, challenging their decision to split Cumbria into two new councils.

Letter sent to Neil Hudson MP from P&B LibDems

Dear Dr Hudson, Together with Refugees

I am writing to you on behalf of Penrith & the Border Liberal Democrats.
People in Penrith and the Border want kindness and compassion in our own lives, in our
communities, and for others. This includes upholding the long British tradition of welcoming
people who seek asylum in the UK and giving them a chance to build a new life. We have
been happy to welcome refugees into Penrith and the Border and across Cumbria. Our
community is enriched by the economic and cultural contributions of our increasingly diverse
population - and this very much includes refugees.
We are shocked by the Government's proposals that will prevent people seeking asylum in
the UK and deny those who are waiting for a claim to be heard the means to live a dignified
life. How we treat refugees is about who we are. If any one of us feared for our lives or for our loved ones, we would want to know that others would help us to safety. This means standing up for people's ability to seek safety in the UK no matter how they came here and ensuring
people can live in dignity while they wait for a decision on their asylum application. It means
empowering refugees to build their lives and make valuable contributions to our communities.
And it means the UK working with other countries to do our bit to help people who are forced
to flee their homes.

The Boundary Commission has announced extraordinary new Parliamentary Constituencies for Cumbria which have astounded and bemused many local people.

Only someone sitting in an office in London who has never been to Cumbria could come up with new constituencies that put Windermere in with Whitehaven, Kirkby Lonsdale in with Alston and crosses the county boundary to Lancashire.

The UK government is proposing a new Immigration Bill that will effectively end asylum in this country. The Bill even has an option to develop "offshore" asylum processing. Good job that Pritti Patel was not in charge when the Kindertransport [or even her own parents] arrived.

Penrith and Eden Refugee Network - PERN - are asking people to sign an open letter to Neil Hudson, our MP. The Immigration Bill is being debated in Parliament very soon and we want our MP to oppose the bill, just as he opposed the cut in international aid.