Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)

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Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Scottish Parliament county constituency
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross shown within the
Highlands and Islands electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Created: 1999
MSP: Jamie Stone
Party: Liberal Democrat
Council area: Highland

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross covers a northern portion of the Highland council area.

Contents

[edit] Electoral region

The other seven constituencies of the Highlands and Islands electoral region are Argyll and Bute, Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Moray, Orkney, Ross, Skye and Inverness West, Shetland and the Western Isles.

The region covers most of Argyll and Bute council area, all of the Highland council area, most of the Moray council area, all of the Orkney council area, all of the Shetland council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.

[edit] Constituency boundaries and council area

The constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, with the name and boundaries of a pre-existing Westminster (House of Commons) constituency. In 2005, however, Scottish Westminster constituencies were generally replaced with new larger constituencies[1]. The Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Westminster constituency was enlarged slightly, to cover an area also covered by the Ross, Skye and Inverness West Holyrood constituency.

[edit] Council area

See also Politics of the Highland council area

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross is the most northerly of three constituencies covering the Highland council area. The other two are Ross, Skye and Inverness West and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber. All three are within the Highlands and Islands electoral region. Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross has Ross, Skye and Inverness West on its southern boundary. Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber is further south.

When created in 1999 the constituency boundaries were definable with reference to council wards which were grouped, by the Highland Council, in relation to eight council management areas. Constituency and management area names have many elements in common, and the management areas had the boundaries of former districts of the Highland region, as abolished in 1996, namely Caithness, Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh, Inverness, Nairn, Lochaber and Badenoch and Strathspey.

The management areas were abolished this year, 2007, and the council has now three new corporate management areas, defined as groups of new wards, also introduced this year, 2007. The boundaries of the corporate management areas are similar to those of Westminster constituencies created in 2005. One corporate management area, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross area, has boundaries, therefore, which are also similar to those of a Holyrood constituency. The boundaries of the other two corporate areas, the Ross, Skye and Lochaber area and the Inverness, Nairn, and Badenoch and Strathspey area, are quite unlike those of any Holyrood constituency.

The most recent general election of the Highland Council was this year, 2007, and its current political commposition is as follows:

34 independent councillors
21 Liberal Democrat councillors
17 Scottish National Party councillors
7 Labour Party councillors
1 non-aligned independent councillor

The current convener of the council is an independent councillor and the current vice-convener is a Scottish National Party councillor.[2]

[edit] Member of the Scottish Parliament

Election Member Party
1999 Jamie Stone Liberal Democrat
2003
2007

[edit] Election results

Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jamie Stone 8,981 40.2 +3.6
Scottish National Party Rob Gibson 6,658 29.8 +12.3
Labour John McKendrick 3,152 14.1 -12.6
Conservative Donald McDonald 2,586 11.6 +0.9
Independent Gordon Campbell 957 4.3 +4.3
Majority 2,323 10.4
Turnout 22,334 53.4 +1.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Scottish Parliament election, 2003: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jamie Stone 7,742 36.7 - 4.4
Labour Deirdrie Stephen 5,650 26.7 + 2.2
Scottish National Party Rob Gibson 3,692 17.5 - 5.7
Conservative Allan McLeod 2,262 10.7 + 1.8
Independent Gordon Campbell 953 4.5 + 2.4
Scottish Socialist Frank Ward 828 3.9 (+ 3.9)
Majority 2,092 9.9 - 7.0
Turnout
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Scottish Parliament election, 1999: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jamie Stone 10,691 41.0 N/A
Labour James Hendry 6,300 24.2 N/A
Scottish National Party Jean Urquhart 6,035 23.2 N/A
Conservative Richard Jenkins 2,167 8.3 N/A
Independent Gordon Campbell 554 2.1 N/A
Independent Ewen Stewart 282 1.0 N/A
Majority 4,391 16.9 N/A
Turnout

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland
  2. ^ Top Two Elected At The Highland Council, Highland Council news release

[edit] See also

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Electoral regions and Constituencies of the Scottish Parliament Flag of Scotland
Central Scotland
Glasgow
Highlands and Islands
Lothians
Mid Scotland and Fife
North East Scotland
South of Scotland
West of Scotland