Ayr (Scottish Parliament constituency)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ayr
Scottish Parliament county constituency
Ayr shown within the
South of Scotland electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Created: 1999
MSP: John Scott (Scottish politician)
Party: Conservative Party
Council area: Scottish Borders

Ayr is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, however, it is one of nine constituencies in the South of Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Contents

[edit] Electoral region

See also South of Scotland Scottish Parliament region

The other eight constituencies of the South of Scotland region are Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Clydesdale, Cunninghame South, Dumfries, East Lothian, Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, Roxburgh and Berwickshire and Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale.

The region covers the Dumfries and Galloway council area, the Scottish Borders council area, the South Ayrshire council area, part of the East Ayrshire council area, part of the East Lothian council area, part of the Midlothian council area, part of the North Ayrshire council area and part of the South Lanarkshire council area.

[edit] Constituency boundaries and council area

The Ayr constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, with the name and boundaries of an existing Westminster constituency. In 2005, however, Scottish Westminster (House of Commons) constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies[1].

The Holyrood constituency covers a northern portion of the South Ayrshire council area. The rest of the council area is covered by the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency, which also covers a southern portion of the East Ayrshire council area.

[edit] Members of the Scottish Parliament

Election Member Party
1999 Ian Welsh Labour
2000 John Scott Conservative
2003
2007

[edit] Election results

Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Ayr
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Scott 12,619 40.7 0.0
Labour John Duncan 8,713 28.1 -6.6
Scottish National Party Iain White 7,592 25.6 11.7
Liberal Democrats Stuart Ritchie 1,714 5.6 0.0
Majority 3,906 12.5
Turnout 31, 025 55.9 -1.0
Conservative hold Swing
Scottish Parliament election, 2003: Ayr
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Scott 12,865 40.72 +2.72
Labour Rita Miller 10,975 34.74 -3.36
Scottish National Party James Joseph Dornan 4,334 13.72 -5.78
Liberal Democrats Stuart David Ritchie 1,769 5.60 +1.20
Scottish Socialist James Scott Stewart 1,648 5.22 n/a
Majority 1,890 5.98 n/a
Turnout 31591 57.2
Conservative hold Swing
Ayr Scottish Parliament 2000 By-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Scott 12,580 39.4
Scottish National Party Jim Mather 9,236 29.0
Labour Rita Miller 7,054 22.1
Scottish Socialist James Stewart 1,345 4.2
Liberal Democrats Stuart Ritchie 800 2.5
Scottish Green Gavin Corbett 460 1.4
The Radio Vet William Botcherby 186 0.6
UK Independence Alistair McConnachie 113 0.4
ProLife Alliance Robert Graham 111 0.4
Independent (politician) Kevin Dillion 15 0.1
Majority 3,344
Turnout 31,900
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Scottish Parliament election, 1999: Ayr
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Welsh 14,263 38.1 N/A
Conservative Phil Gallie 14,238 38.0 N/A
Scottish National Party Roger Mullin 7,291 19.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Elaine Morris 1,662 4.4 N/A
Majority 25 0.1 N/A
Turnout 37454 N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland