Gordon (UK Parliament constituency)

Not to be confused with Gordon (Scottish Parliament constituency).
Gordon
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Gordon in Scotland.
Subdivisions of Scotland Aberdeenshire and City of Aberdeen
Current constituency
Created 1983 (1983)
Member of Parliament Malcolm Bruce (Liberal Democrat)
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency Scotland

Gordon is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster), which elects one member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It was first used in the 1983 general election, but has undergone boundary changes since that date.

There is also a Gordon Holyrood constituency, a constituency of the Scottish Parliament,[1] created in 1999 with the boundaries of the Westminster constituency at that time. The Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, currently represents that seat.

Contents

Boundaries

New boundaries were used for the 2005 general election. Prior to that election the constituency covered a central portion of the Aberdeenshire council area and a small eastern portion of the Moray council area. As a result of the 2005 boundary changes, in accordance with the Fifth Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland,[2] the Gordon constituency is now one of five covering the Aberdeenshire council area and the Aberdeen City council area.

The Gordon constituency now covers a central portion of the Aberdeenshire area and a northern portion of the Aberdeen City area. Entirely within the Aberdeenshire area, there is also Banff and Buchan, to the north of Gordon, and West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, to the south. Entirely within the Aberdeen City area, there is also Aberdeen North, to the south of Gordon, and Aberdeen South, further south.

The towns of Ellon, Inverurie and Huntly remain within the constituency.

Keith (within the Moray council area) was transferred to the Moray constituency, Turriff was transferred to the Banff and Buchan constituency, and Westhill and Kemnay were transferred to the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency.

The Bridge of Don and Dyce areas (within the City of Aberdeen council area) were transferred to the Gordon constituency from the Aberdeen North constituency.

Members of Parliament

Election Member [3] Party
1983 Malcolm Bruce Liberal Democrat

Election results

General Election 2010: Gordon[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce 17,575 36.0 -9.0
SNP Richard Thomson 10,827 22.2 +6.2
Labour Barney Crockett 9,811 20.1 -0.1
Conservative Ross Thomson 9,111 18.7 +1.1
Scottish Green Sue Edwards 752 1.5 N/A
BNP Elise Jones 699 1.4 N/A
Majority 6,748 13.8
Turnout 48,755 66.4 +4.6
Liberal Democrat hold Swing -7.6
General Election 2005: Gordon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce 20,008 45.0 +6.2
Labour Iain Brotchie 8,982 20.2 −1.3
Conservative Philip Atkinson 7,842 17.6 −1.4
SNP Joanna Strathdee 7,098 16.0 −3.3
Scottish Socialist Tommy Paterson 508 1.1 −0.3
Majority 11,026 24.8
Turnout 44,438 61.8 +5.2
Liberal Democrat hold Swing +3.8

Before the 2005 general election, Scotland went through major boundary changes.

General Election 2001: Gordon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce 17,928 48.5 +5.9
Conservative Nanette Milne 8,049 21.8 −4.2
SNP Rhona Kemp 5,760 15.6 −4.4
Labour Ellis Thorpe 4,730 12.8 +2.5
Scottish Socialist John Sangster 534 1.4 N/A
Majority 7,879 22.5
Turnout 35,001 58.3 −13.6
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
General Election 1997: Gordon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce 17,999 42.6 +5.1
Conservative John Porter 11,002 26.0 −11.0
SNP Richard Lochhead 8,435 20.0 +5.7
Labour Lindsey Kirkhill 4,350 10.3 −1.0
Referendum Party Fred Pidcock 459 1.1 N/A
Majority 6,997 16.6 +16.1
Turnout 42,245 71.9 −2
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
General Election 1992: Gordon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce 22,158 37.4
Conservative John Porter 21,884 37.0
SNP Brian Adam 8,445 14.3
Labour Peter Morrell 6,682 11.3
Majority 274 0.4
Turnout 74.3
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
General Election 1987: Gordon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce 26,770 49.4
Conservative P.R. Leckie 17,251 31.9
Labour Mrs. M.C. Morrell 6,228 11.5
SNP G.E. Wright 3,876 7.2
Majority 9,519 17.5
Turnout 73.7
General Election 1983: Gordon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Malcolm Bruce 20,134 43.8
Conservative J.D. Cran 19,284 42.0
Labour G. Grant 3,899 8.5
SNP K. Guild 2,636 5.7
Majority 850 1.8
Turnout 70.1

Footnotes

  1. ^ The boundaries of Holyrood constituencies remain as when the constituencies were created in 1999
    Holyrood refers to the fact that the Scottish Parliament Building is in the Holyrood area of Edinburgh
    See also Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
  2. ^ Boundary Commission for Scotland website.
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "G" (part 2)
  4. ^ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/gordon
Constituencies in Scotland by Holding Party (59)
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