Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Argyll and Bute County constituency | |
|---|---|
| |
| Argyll and Bute shown within Scotland | |
| Created: | 1983 |
| MP: | Alan Reid |
| Party: | Liberal Democrats |
| Type: | House of Commons |
| Council areas: | Argyll and Bute |
| EP constituency: | Scotland |
Argyll and Bute is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 1983 general election, merging most of Argyll with some of Bute and Northern Ayrshire. It is a marginal seat between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. A similar constituency, also called Argyll and Bute, is used by the Scottish Parliament.
Contents |
[edit] Boundaries
When created in 1983 the constituency covered the area of the Argyll district of the Strathclyde region. In 2005 it was enlaged to cover the Argyll and Bute council area, which had been created in 1996. Thus Helensburgh, already included within the new council area, was included in the constituency.
Helensburgh had been within the Dunbarton district until 1996, and within the Dumbarton constituency until 2005.
[edit] History
In the wake of the 2001 general election, this constituency was the only four-way marginal in the nation, and only the second in recent election history after Inverness which had achieved the honour in 1992.
[edit] Member of Parliament
- Alan Reid, Liberal Democrat (2001–present)
- Hon. Ray Michie, Liberal Democrat (1987–2001)
- John MacKay, Conservative (1983–1987)
[edit] Election results
| General Election 2005: Argyll and Bute | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrats | Alan Reid | 15,786 | 36.5 | +3.7 | |
| Conservative | Jamie McGrigor | 10,150 | 23.5 | −0.2 | |
| Labour | Carolyn Manson | 9,696 | 22.4 | −0.3 | |
| Scottish National Party | Isobel Strong | 6,716 | 15.5 | −2.0 | |
| Scottish Socialist | Deirdre Henderson | 881 | 2.0 | −1.4 | |
| Majority | 5,636 | 13.0 | |||
| Turnout | 43,229 | 64.2 | +4.1 | ||
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +2.0 | |||
| General Election 2001: Argyll and Bute | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrats | Alan Reid | 9,245 | 29.9 | −10.3 | |
| Labour | Hugh Raven | 7,592 | 24.5 | +8.9 | |
| Conservative | Dave Petrie | 6,436 | 20.8 | +1.8 | |
| Scottish National Party | Agnes Samuel | 6,433 | 20.8 | −2.4 | |
| Scottish Socialist | Des Divers | 1,251 | 4.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 1,653 | 5.4 | |||
| Turnout | 30,957 | 63.0 | −10.0 | ||
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −9.6 | |||
