Ochil (Scottish Parliament constituency)

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Ochil
Scottish Parliament county constituency
Ochil shown within the
Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Created: 1999
MSP: Keith Brown (politician)
Party: Scottish National Party
Council area: Clackmannanshire
Perth and Kinross (part)

Ochil 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 Mid Scotland and Fife 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 Mid Scotland and Fife Scottish Parliament region

The other eight constituencies of the South of Scotland region are Dunfermline East, Dunfermline West, Fife Central, Fife North East, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Stirling and Tayside North.

The region covers all of the Clackmannanshire council area, all of the Fife council area, all of the Perth and Kinross council area, all of the Stirling council area and parts of the Angus council area.

[edit] Constituency boundaries and council areas

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 mostly replaced with new constituencies[1]. The Ochil Westminster constituency, was divided between the Ochil and South Perthshire Westminster constituency and the Stirling Westminster constituency.

The Holyrood constituency of Ochil covers the whole of the Clackmannanshire council area, a south-eastern portion of the Perth and Kinross council area and a south-eastern portion of the Stirling council area.

The rest of the Perth and Kinross council area is covered by two Mid Scotland and Fife constituencies, Perth and Tayside North, and one North East Scotland constituency, Angus. Tayside North also covers a northern portion of the Angus council area, and the Angus constituency also covers a southern portion of the Angus council area and north-western and north-eastern portions of the City of Dundee council area.

The rest of the Stirling council area is covered by another Mid Scotland and Fife constuency, the Stirling constituency.

[edit] Description of the constituency

Although a county constituency, Ochil is mostly industrial in character, with the main industries of the region being brewing, distilling, glass manufacture, bottling, tourism and agriculture. At local government level, more affluent areas are Conservative Party strongholds. Examples include Bridge of Allan, which is home to wealthy commuters to the city of Stirling and further afield, and Dollar, which has, in its Academy, one of Scotland's most renowned private schools. The majority of the constituency's inhabitants, however, are working-class.

[edit] Member of the Scottish Parliament

Election Member Party
1999 Richard Simpson Labour
2003 George Reid Scottish National Party
2007 Keith Brown

[edit] Election results

Scottish Parliament election, 2007: Ochil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Scottish National Party Keith Brown 12,147 38.5 +0.2
Labour Brian Fearon 11,657 36.9 -0.5
Conservative George Murray 4,284 13.6 +3.9
Liberal Democrats Lorraine Caddell 3,465 11.0 +2.7
Majority 490 1.6
Turnout 31,553 54.9
Scottish National Party hold Swing 0.4
Scottish Parliament election, 2003: Ochil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Scottish National Party George Reid 11,659 38.3% +0.1%
Labour Richard Simpson 11,363 37.4% -4.4%
Conservative Malcolm Parkin 2,946 9.7% -1.6%
Liberal Democrats Catherine Whittingham 2,536 8.3% -0.5%
Scottish Socialist Felicity Garvie 1,102 3.6% +3.6%
Monster Raving Loony Flash Gordon Approaching 432 1.4% +1.4%
Independent William Whyte 378 1.2% +1.2%
Majority 296 1.0% -2.53%
Turnout 30,416 54.7%
Scottish National Party gain from Labour Swing 4.5%
Scottish Parliament election, 1999: Ochil
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Richard Simpson 15,385 41.73% N/A
Scottish National Party George Reid 14,082 38.2% N/A
Conservative Nick Johnston 4,151 11.26% N/A
Liberal Democrats The Earl of Mar & Kellie 3,249 8.81% N/A
Majority 1,301 3.53% N/A
Turnout 36,867
Labour hold Swing N/A

Note: Although George Reid was elected as a Scottish National Party candidate in 2003, he became independent the same year, as the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

[edit] Footnotes

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