LOCAL TORIES PLOT MERGER

CRUMBRIA: 16.03.2026

MUTTERINGS reach the Chronic of a big pow-wow this week of Tories.

The Conservative associations of Barrow & Furness, and neighbouring Westmorland & Lonsdale, hold a “special general meeting” on Wednesday night and a formal merger is on the table.

The event takes place firmly on Furness territory, a sensible move if it wants the Barrow membership to turn out.

Wily association chairman, Cllr Ben Shirley, insists there’s no big shocky horror scoop here.

He tells the Chronic that the two neighbours want to work together more closely to get more Tories on Westmorland & Furness Council, long dominated by Lib Dems.

Cllr Shirley (campaign mode activated) said: “We’ve had enough of the Lib Dem’s hiking the Council Tax of hard working tax payers to pay for vanity projects, the demolition of The Forum and Market in the very heart of Barrow, and for empty buildings like County Hall, Kendal, and Voreda House, Penrith.”

So that’s the sales pitch.

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There was no mention of a Reform-shaped draught blowing around Barrovia.

Nor have we seen evidence of a mass outbreak of Kemi-mania at the windier end of the A590.

These factors can’t have done Tory numbers in Furness any favours whatsoever.

Westmorland & Lonsdale Conservatives may be better upholstered on the old finance front, but they have yet to summon a way of halting the Tim Farron Fan Club. (President: T. Farron).

Tim has been MP for Wokemoreland & Loonsdale now for 21 years and even survived a big constituency rejig in 2024.

Kendal appears to have mislaid Tory councillors altogether.

To its credit, the Barrow & Furness association returned more Conservative councillors to the Council in the 2022 elections than its W&L neighbours.

Barrow even got a Tory MP for the first time in 27 years, but that was a long time ago – four prime ministers, in fact.

The Chronic’s informant suggests that, in terms of this week’s meeting, this is not the first time a “formal arrangement” has been mooted between the two associations.

But the last time, the man from Del Barrovia, he say no!

Don’t be surprised if Thursday brings a rigorous reboot for both associations.