Penrith no longer has a serving MP as Parliament is officially dissolved today (Thursday 30th May 2024) ahead of the General election on the 4th of July.
The dissolving of Parliament also brings to an end after 74 years the Penrith and The Border constituency formed in 1950 and was the largest constituency by area in England with five MP’s having served as MP for Penrith and The Border since 1950.
Donald Scott elected in 1950
William Whitelaw elected in 1955
David Maclean elected in a by-election in 1983
Rory Stewart elected in 2010
Neil Hudson elected in 2019
The Penrith and The Border Constituency has been scrapped by the electoral boundary commission with Penrith now forming part of the new Penrith and Solway constituency that will see its first MP elected on the 4th of July in the General Election.
Dr Neil Hudson has served as the Penrith and The Border MP since he was elected in 2019 becoming the first vet elected to the House of Commons since 1884 and served on parliamentary committees including as a member of the Cross Party House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
Following the dissolution of parliament on Thursday, Dr Hudson has now ceases to be the areas MP.
When Parliament is dissolved, every seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant and the country no longer has any MP’s or a functioning Parliament until after the general election.
Despite Parliament now been dissolved, and the country having no MP’s until the 9th of July following the general election, the role of minister is independent of the role of MP. The Government does not resign when Parliament is dissolved. The Prime Minister remains in the role and Government ministers remain in charge of their departments until after the election and the new Government is formed after the King appoints the Prime Minister and invites them to form a government.
Following the General Election the new Parliament will first meet on Tuesday the 9th of July, when members begin to take the oath and the House of Commons will elect a Speaker. The State Opening of Parliament is expected to take place on the 17th July.
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