Dunfermline East (UK Parliament constituency)

Dunfermline East
Former Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
Major settlements Cowdenbeath
1983–2005
Number of members One
Replaced by Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath
Dunfermline & West Fife
Glenrothes
Created from Central Fife
Dunfermline

Dunfermline East was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election from parts of the seats of Central Fife and Dunfermline. It was abolished for the 2005 general election as part of a major revision in the composition of parliamentary constituencies in Scotland.

Most of Dunfermline East and its neighbouring constituency Kirkcaldy now make up the new seat of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. The remaining parts of the seat were moved to the new Dunfermline and West Fife and Glenrothes constituencies.

The constituency's name was something of a misnomer as it never actually included any part of the town of Dunfermline. Cowdenbeath was the largest town in the constituency.

Boundaries

1983-1997: The Dunfermline District electoral divisions of Kelty/Lumphinnans, Ballingry/Lochore, Lochgelly, Aberdour/Dalgety Bay/North Queensferry, Inverkeithing/Rosyth, Cowdenbeath/Gray Park, Hill of Beath/Crossgates/Cowdenbeath, and Dunfermline/Rosyth; and the Kirkcaldy District electoral division of Auchterderran.

1997-2005: The Dunfermline District electoral divisions of Kelty, Rosyth East and South, Benarty and Lumphinans, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath, Aberdour and Mossside, Dalgety Bay, and Inverkeithing and North Queensferry; and the Kirkcaldy District electoral division of Cardenden and Kinglassie.

Members of Parliament

The constituency's only MP was Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, who was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1992 to 1997 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1997 to 2007, when he became Prime Minister.

ElectionMember[1]Party
1983 Gordon Brown Labour

Elections of the 2000s

General Election 2001: Dunfermline East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Brown 19,487 64.8 −2.0
SNP Johnny Joseph James Mellon 4,424 14.7 −0.8
Conservative Stuart R. Randall 2,838 9.4 −0.6
Liberal Democrat John Maciver Mainland 2,281 7.6 +1.7
Scottish Socialist Andrew Jackson 770 2.6 N/A
UKIP Thomas Dunsmore 286 1.0 N/A
Majority 15,063 50.1
Turnout 30,086 57.0 −13.2
Labour hold Swing +0.6

Elections of the 1990s

General Election 1997: Dunfermline East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Brown 24,441 66.8 +4.4
SNP John J. Ramage 5,690 15.6 +0.5
Conservative Iain G. Mitchell 3,656 10.0 −6.5
Liberal Democrat Jim Tolson 2,164 5.9 −0.1
Referendum Party Thomas Dunsmore 632 1.7 N/A
Majority 18,751 51.2
Turnout 36,583 69.6 −7.0
Labour hold Swing 2.0
General Election 1992: Dunfermline East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Brown 23,692 62.4 −3.1
Conservative Mark E. Tennant 6,248 16.5 +1.7
SNP John V. Lloyd 5,746 15.1 +5.1
Liberal Democrat Mrs. Teresa Martin Little 2,262 6.0 −4.5
Majority 17,444 45.9
Turnout 37,948 75.6 −1.0
Labour hold Swing −2.4

Elections of the 1980s

General Election 1987: Dunfermline East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Brown 25,381 64.5 +13.0
Conservative Clive Shenton 5,792 14.8 −4.0
Liberal Elizabeth Bruce Anderson Harris 4,122 10.5 −9.6
SNP Mrs. Alice McGarry 3,901 10.0 +2.8
Majority 19,589 50.0
Turnout 39,196 76.6 +4.6
Labour hold Swing +8.5
General Election 1983: Dunfermline East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Brown 18,515 51.5 N/A
Liberal D.T. Harcus 7,214 20.1 N/A
Conservative Clive Shenton 6,764 18.8 N/A
SNP G.A. Hunter 2,573 7.2 N/A
Communist Alex Maxwell 864 2.4 N/A
Majority 11,301 31.4 N/A
Turnout 35,930 72.0 N/A
Labour win (new seat)

References

  1. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 4)
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Rushcliffe		 Constituency represented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
1997–2005 		Succeeded by
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath