Politics of Dundee

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Dundee City Shown as one of the council areas of Scotland

Politics in Dundee, Scotland, are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the city council of Dundee (Dùn Dèagh in Gaelic), in elections to the council, and in elections to the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster).

In the European Parliament, the city area is within the Scotland constituency, which covers all of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

Dundee City became a unitary council area in 1996, under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994^[1], with the boundaries of the City of Dundee district of the Tayside region, minus a Monifieth area and part of a Sidlaw area, which were transferred from the city area to the new unitary council area of Angus. The city district was also the administrative centre for the region.

The new unitary city council area was named The City of Dundee in the legislation of 1994, but this was changed to Dundee City by a council resolution on 29 June 1995, under section 23 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65). In terms of area, it is the smallest of Scotland's unitary council areas.

The district had been created in 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to include: the former county of city of Dundee; a Monifieth area, including the burgh of Monifieth (but not Newtyle and Kettins areas), previously within the county of Angus; and a Longforgan area previously within the county of Perth.

The county of city was created in 1894, and the city area has included the burgh of Broughty Ferry since 1913. Dundee has been a royal burgh since 1191.

[edit] History

Dundee has a history of leaning towards socialist ideas and politics but since World War II has also developed into a strong base of nationalist votes as well as the supporting the Labour Party. More recently the electorate has opted for the broadly centre-left, social democratic ideals championed by Labour, the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Liberal Democrats.

Ousting Winston Churchill in favour of Neddy Scrymgeour, the only person ever elected to the House of Commons on a prohibitionist ticket, in the 1922 general election has also led to a reputation as having a somewhat unpredictable and volatile electorate. To this day the city’s two Scottish Parliament constituencies are very marginal, with majorities of just 1,066 in Dundee West and 90 in Dundee East. The two United Kingdom Parliament constituencies are also quite close with the current Dundee West Member of Parliament (MP) having a relatively modest majority of 5,374 (especially compared to other Labour majorities in Glasgow, for example) while their counterpart in the East of the city has a majority of just 383. In 1974, socialist George Galloway converted the rest of the Dundee Labour Party on the City Council to the Palestinian cause, leading to the Palestinian flag being flown over the City Chambers.

Dundee is recognised as Scotland’s fourth city and yet its local authority area covers only 65 square kilometres and is also the most densely populated local authority area in Scotland. The smallest mainland authority, Clackmannanshire, has an area almost three times as large at 157 square kilometres. Much of Dundee’s “Travel to Work” area does not fall within the City of Dundee’s boundaries. For example, the towns of Newport-on-Tay, Wormit and Tayport lie in Fife, Invergowrie and Longforgan lie in Perth and Kinross and Carnoustie and Monifieth are in Angus.

[edit] City council

Dundee is recognised as Scotland’s fourth city and yet its local authority area covers only 65 square kilometres and is also the most densely populated local authority area in Scotland. The smallest mainland authority, Clackmannanshire, has an area almost three times as large at 157 squarekilometres. Much of Dundee’s “Travel to Work” area does not fall within the City of Dundee’s boundaries. For example the suburbs of Newport-on-Tay, Wormit and Tayport lie in Fife, Invergowrie and Longforgan lie in Perth and Kinross and Carnoustie and Monifieth are in Angus.

Dundee City Council

Dundee City coat of arms
Council area	Dundee City
Control	Labour and Liberal Democrat minority coalition with Conservative support
Official Website	http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/

Council meetings take place in the City Chambers, located in City Square. They were opened in 1933.

The council executive is based in Tayside House on the banks of the River Tay, but the council intends to demolish it in favour of new premises (Dundee House) on North Lindsay Street.^[2]

The civic head and chair of the council is known as the Lord Provost, a position similar to that of mayor in other areas.

[edit] Composition and control

The council consists of 29 councillors. At present, there is one independent councillor, and political parties are represented as follows:

Scottish National Party: 11 councillors

Labour Party: 10 councillors

Conservative and Unionist Party: 5 councillors

Liberal Democrats: 2 councillors

Although the Scottish National Party has the largest number of seats, the council is controlled by a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition, with the support of the Conservatives.^[3][4]

The civic head and chair of the council is known as the Lord Provost which is similar to a mayor in other areas.

The council has a history of Labour Party domination, and a Labour administration was responsible for Dundee's twinning association with the Palestinian city of Nablus. According to some erroneous reports, George Galloway was council leader at the time.^[5]

[edit] Elections

Tayside House
Current home of Dundee City Council

General elections to the council are held on a four year cycle, and the next is due in 2007, with polling on Thursday 5 May.

Councillors are elected from subdivisions of the city area called wards. At present they are elected form 29 single-member wards. by the plurality (first past the post) system of election. As a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004,^[6] eight new wards are to be introduced for the 2007 election, each electing three or four members by the single transferable vote system of election, to produce a form of proportional representation. The total number of councillors will remain the same.

[edit] Wards

[edit] 1999 to 2007

Existing wards, listed below, were first used for elections in 1999. The names and parties of current councillors are also listed:^[3]

Dundee City Square
Caird Hall is the building at the back of the square
The building on the right is Dundee City Chambers, where the city council meets

[edit] To be created in 2007

Proposed new wards are listed below. The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland^[7] has yet to make its final recommendations.

[edit] Scottish Parliament

For elections to the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) the city area is divided between three constituencies. The Dundee East (Holyrood) constituency and the Dundee West (Holyrood) constituency are entirely within the city area. The Angus (Holyrood) constituency includes north-eastern and north-western portions of the city area, part of the Angus council area, and part of the Perth and Kinross council area.^[8]

All three constituencies are within the North East Scotland electoral region. The region elects a total of nine first past the post constituency Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and seven additional members, to propduce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Boundaries date from 1999, when the parliament itself was created.

Currently, Shona Robison (SNP) is MSP for the Dundee East constituency, Kate Maclean (Labour) is MSP for the Dundee West constituency, and Andrew Welsh (SNP) is MSP for the Angus constituency.

[edit] Parliament of the United Kingdom

For elections to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster), the city area is divided between the Dundee East (Westminster) constituency and the Dundee West (Westminster) constituency. These constituencies also include portions of the Angus council area.^[8]

Current boundaries date from 2005. Prior to the 2005 general election, the constituencies had the boundaries of now existing Scottish Parliament constituencies, with north-eastern and north-western portions of the city area being covered by the Angus (Westminster) constituency.

Currently, Stewart Hosie (Scottish National Party (SNP)) is Member of Parliament (MP) for the Dundee East constituency, and James McGovern (Labour) is MP for the Dundee West constituency.

The Dundee East Westminster constituency has been a marginal seat between the SNP and Labour since the 1973 by-election. Although Labour won the seat in that by-election, the SNP established itself as the clear challenger and continued to advance, winning the seat in the next general election. Labour were thought to have under performed in not winning the seat back in the 1979 general election, and the choice of the former Communist Jimmy Reid as Labour candidate was blamed for the loss. Then SNP leader Gordon Wilson represented the constituency from 1974 until 1987 when he unexpectantly lost to John McAllion of the Labour Party. This was seen as being partly due to the hatred of Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government in many parts of Scotland, leading to a feeling that only votes for the UK-wide Labour Party could end or at least weaken the Tories control of the House of Commons. Although John McAllion became a popular MP in the constituency, winning again in the 1992 and 1997 general elections, gaining votes because of his personal stance on issues as well as being part of Scottish Labour Action putting him on the Scottish-nationalist wing of the Labour Party. He strongly favoured home rule for Scotland, and was often outspoken in his defence of civic-minded Scottish nationalism, and also of the Labour Campaign for Socialism, placing him firmly on the left of the party.

Boundary changes which came into force in 2005 brought in many voters from more suburban areas formerly in the Angus constituency. Although estimates of the 2001 general election result on the new boundaries showed Labour ahead, the lead was exceptionally narrow, and after the SNP won the Scottish Parliament seat on the original boundaries in 2003, a close fight was expected (and occurred) in the 2005 general election.

The Dundee West Westminster constituency is a relatively safe Labour seat. Its voters have traditionally been more loyal to the Labour Party than its neighbour Dundee East having elected only Labour MPs since the 1950s. However with Labour's majority being reduced by the SNP's Joe Fitzpatrick despite changes to the boundaries which should have favoured Labour the constituency is becoming increasingly marginal.

[edit] Historic constituencies

As a royal burgh, Dundee was represented as a component of the Perth Burghs constituency from 1708 to 1832, when the Dundee burgh constituency was created. In 1868 the burgh consituency became a two-member constituency.

East and West single-member constituencies have existed, with varying boundaries, since 1950.

[edit] Notes and references

1. ^ Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, full text, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website
   OPSI home page
2. ^ Long live Dundee House, Evening Telegraph (publisher DC Thomson), 15 March 2006
3. ^ ^{a b} Dundee City Council Political Make-up, Dundee City Council website
4. ^ Dundee Tory leader hits out at critic, Evening Telegraph (publisher DC Thomson), 28 February 2005
5. ^ As council leader, he flew the Palestinian flag over Dundee, according to Torcuil Crichton in Kebabs Over Baghdad?, Sunday Herald, 25 April 2004
6. ^ Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, full text, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website
7. ^ Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland website
8. ^ ^{a b} Fifth Periodical Review of Constituencies, Boundary Commission for Scotland, in which review-period boundaries for Westminster constituencies are those of now existing Holyrood constituencies

[edit] See also

[edit] Wikipedia articles

[edit] External pages

Local political parties:

• Dundee Liberal Democrats
• Dundee Scottish National Party