THE BEST produce Cumbria has to offer was showcased to the country's decision makers as firms from the county converged on parliament to showcase their wares to an audience of hundreds of MPs and Westminster insiders.

The second ever Cumbria Day event took place yesterdayin the Clement Attlee suite in Portcullis House in the shadow of Big Ben and the rest of Westminster.

A total of 18 businesses from across the county were invited to make the most of the opportunity to network and show off their products to representatives from across the whole country.

Each MP invited three businesses from the county to help portray Cumbria in its best light.

John Stevenson, Tim Farron, Rory Stewart, Jamie Reed and Sue Hayman all spoke at the event about the businesses.

MP for Barrow and Furness, John Woodcock, could not attend due to being at a trade event in China.

Headline sponsors of the event, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, were represented by chief executive Graham Haywood, who spoke on behalf of Mr Woodcock and officially opened the event.

Graham Haywood, said: “We’re very, very pleased with the way that businesses have taken up the invitations from their MPs to come to Cumbria Day.

“They’ve put on a really fantastic display showing what Cumbria is all about, with a wide array of products and some superb food and drink that has been well received by our guests.

“Around 92 per cent of all businesses on Cumbria are small businesses and no matter how many times you travel around Cumbria you’re always finding something new and some of the micro businesses that work together are fabulous.

MP for Copeland, Jamie Reed, said: “An awful lot of work has gone into today - the businesses here are a bit like a swan, serene on top but paddling like mad underneath the water.

“You’ve got members of parliament and their staff from all over the country coming here to sample not just what’s the best of Cumbrian produce but the best of the whole UK when it comes to produce.

“What we’re trying to do is demonstrate to the rest of the country what Cumbria is all about, it’s not just nuclear, not just submarines or agriculture, but fantastic produce. If this was a region of France it would be one of the most celebrated and recognised food areas.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrats and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron, said: “It’s been a really great team effort for Cumbria and everybody has told me about how fantastic it’s been to get down here, even with some big pieces of kit.

“It’s been really good. It’s surprising what people don’t recognise about Cumbria, and while tourism is so important, the growth of local produce and food and drink and the authentic Made in Cumbria brand have been flourishing.

“We’re also continuing to push for better communications, and the growth of broadband connectivity in our county has really helped. Cumbria is a beautiful place but was a difficult place to do business, but now if you can live in one of the most beautiful places in the UK and run a business then why wouldn’t you?”