THREE former Labour Members of Parliament for Workington joined party members to celebrate Labour history in the constituency before it disappears in time for the next General Election.

Voters in Workington constituency, which covers the West Cumbrian coast from Harrington in the south to Bowness on Solway in the north, and from Maryport inland to Bassenthwaite Lake, are being split by the Boundary Commission into two new Parliamentary constituencies, Whitehaven and Workington, and Penrith and the Solway.

The dividing line between the two has been set between Flimby and Maryport on the coast. Penrith and Solway will stretch all the way to Alston in the Pennines.

Former Labour MPs for Workington - Lord Dale Campbell-Savours, Sir Tony Cunningham and Baroness Sue Hayman - joined local Labour Party members on Friday, September 15 at The Settlement in Maryport for the last-ever gathering of Workington Constituency Labour Party.

Many of those present were party activists who had helped the trio of former MPs win General Elections, as well as former Labour councillors on Allerdale Borough Council, which was abolished in April this year.

Celebrating the local history of Labour with the former MPs was the current Leader of the new Cumberland Council, Councillor Mark Fryer.

Chair of Workington CLP, Juliet Wilson, who is now interim chair of Penrith and Solway CLP, said: "Workington constituency has been in existence for over 100 years, and the very first MP was a Labour man.

"Thomas Cape was born in Cockermouth in 1868 and he was our MP from 1918 to 1945. He had been General Secretary of the Cumberland Miners Association.

"Fred Peart, who was in Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s Cabinet as Minister for Agriculture, followed him until 1976.

"Sue Hayman was, of course, the first woman to become an MP in Cumbria, and Dale and Tony were much loved and passionate representatives of our local communities.

"Labour has had a proud history of service to the people of West Cumbria and the disappearance of Workington constituency is a historic moment," added Juliet.

"It was great to have our three most recent Labour MPs with us at our social and we know they will do all they can to help us get Labour people back into Parliament in the new constituencies of Whitehaven and Workington, and Penrith and Solway, at the next General Election."