Aberdeen Donside (Scottish Parliament constituency)

Aberdeen Donside
burgh constituency
for the Scottish Parliament

Aberdeen Donside shown within the North East Scotland electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Current constituency
Created 2011
Party Scottish National Party
MSP Mark McDonald
Council area Aberdeen City

Aberdeen Donside 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 ten constituencies in the North East Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Electoral region

The other nine constituencies of the North East Scotland region are Aberdeen Central, Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Aberdeenshire East, Aberdeenshire West, Angus North and Mearns, Angus South, Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Dundee City East and Dundee City West.

The region covers all of the Aberdeen City council area, the Aberdeenshire council area, the Angus council area, the Dundee City council area and part of the Moray council area.

Constituency boundaries and council area

The Holyrood constituency is within the Aberdeen City council area, which is divided between three constituencies: Aberdeen Central, Aberdeen Donside and Aberdeen South and North Kincardine. Central and Donside are entirely within the city area, while South and North Kincardine also takes in North Kincardine in the Aberdeenshire council area.

Following their First Periodic review of parliamentary constituencies to the Scottish Parliament, the Boundary Commission for Scotland created three newly shaped seats for the Aberdeen City council area.

In forming the new Aberdeen Donside, the electoral wards used are:

Member of the Scottish Parliament

Election Member Party
2013- Mark McDonald SNP
2011-2013 Brian Adam SNP

Election results

Aberdeen Donside By-Election, 20 June 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Mark McDonald 9,814 42.0 -13.4
Labour Willie Young 7,789 33.3 +4.8
Liberal Democrats Christine Jardine 1,940 8.3 +2.3
Conservative Ross Thomson 1,791 7.7 -0.4
UKIP Otto Inglis 1,128 4.8 N/A
Scottish Green Rhonda Reekie 410 1.8 N/A
National Front Dave MacDonald 249 1.1 +0.3
Scottish Christian Tom Morrow 222 0.9 N/A
SDA James Trolland 35 0.1 N/A
Majority 2,025 8.7
Turnout 23,396 38.8
Scottish Parliament election, 2011: Aberdeen Donside
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Brian Adam 14,790 55.4 + 10.6
Labour Barney Crockett 7,615 28.5 -3.2
Conservative Ross Thomson 2,166 8.1 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Millie McLeod 1,606 6.0 -10
Independent David Henderson 317 1.2 +1.2
National Front Christopher Willett 213 0.8 +0.8
Majority 7,175 26.9
Turnout 26,707 47.3
SNP hold Swing +6.9
Scottish Parliament election, 2007 Notional Result: Aberdeen Donside
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP 12,165 44.8
Labour 8,614 31.7
Liberal Democrats 4,340 16.0
Conservative 2,027 7.5
Majority 3,551 13.1
SNP hold Swing
Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Aberdeen North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Brian Adam 11,406 45.8 +12.3
Labour Elaine Thomson 7,657 30.8 -0.9
Liberal Democrats Steve Delaney 3,836 15.4 -7.6
Conservative Carol Garvie 1,992 8.0 -1.2
Majority 3,749 15.1
Turnout 24,891 48.3 +1.0
SNP hold Swing

Politics and history of the constituency

The area contains Aberdeen Airport (run by BAA),[1]

Prior to the 2011 election, the Liberal Democrat candidate (Cllr Gordon Leslie), stood down amid allegations related to prostitution.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Passengers’ flight tax rise may cost country £80m, Press & Journal, February 18th, 2011
  2. ↑ Lib Dem candidate stands down over prostitute charges, BBC News, February 22nd, 2011

See also