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Kirkcaldy (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Kirkcaldy 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, 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.
The other eight constituencies of the South of Scotland region are Dunfermline East
, Dunfermline West
, Fife Central
, Fife North East
, Ochil
, 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
.
, 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. The Kirkcaldy Westminster constituency
was divided between Glenrothes
and Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
.
In boundary changes to take effect at the 2011 election, the newly drawn Kirkcaldy will be formed from the following electoral wards;
and some popular seaside resorts, such as Burntisland
and Kinghorn
. Though coastal, it is dependent upon both light and heavy industry, their decline leading to above-average unemployment. In Westminster elections the area has been safely held by Labour
since 1945.
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(Holyrood
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, it is one of nine constituencies in the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
for the region as a whole.
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 East (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Dunfermline East was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election....
, Dunfermline West
Dunfermline West (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Dunfermline West was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election....
, Fife Central
Fife Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Central Fife is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Fife North East
Fife North East (Scottish Parliament constituency)
North East Fife is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Ochil
Ochil (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Ochil was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Perth
Perth (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Perth is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Stirling
Stirling (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Stirling is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
and Tayside North
Tayside North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
North Tayside is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
.
The region covers all of the Clackmannanshire council area
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
, all of the Fife council area
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, all of the Perth and Kinross council area
Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross is one of 32 council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee City, Fife, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland council areas. Perth is the administrative centre...
, all of the Stirling council area
Stirling (council area)
Stirling is one of the 32 unitary local government council areas of Scotland, and has a population of about 87,000 . It was created under the Local Government etc Act 1994 with the boundaries of the Stirling district of the former Central local government region, and it covers most of the former...
and parts of the Angus council area
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
.
Constituency boundaries and council area
The constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
, with the name and boundaries of a pre-existing Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
(House of Commons) constituency. In 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, however, Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies. The Kirkcaldy Westminster constituency
Kirkcaldy (UK Parliament constituency)
Kirkcaldy was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Fife, returning one Member of Parliament . It existed from the February 1974 election until its abolition in 2005.-Boundaries:...
was divided between Glenrothes
Glenrothes (UK Parliament constituency)
Glenrothes is a British Parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons. It was created for the 2005 general election.The seat is currently held by Lindsay Roy, of the Scottish Labour party...
and Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (UK Parliament constituency)
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath is a county constituency representing the areas around the towns of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, in Fife, Scotland, in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
.
In boundary changes to take effect at the 2011 election, the newly drawn Kirkcaldy will be formed from the following electoral wards;
- In full: Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy, Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages, Kirkcaldy North, Kirkcaldy Central, Kirkcaldy East
Constituency profile
The constituency includes the town of KirkcaldyKirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
and some popular seaside resorts, such as Burntisland
Burntisland
Burntisland is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland on the Firth of Forth. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 5,940....
and Kinghorn
Kinghorn
Kinghorn is a town in Fife, Scotland. A seaside resort with two beaches, Kinghorn Beach and Pettycur Bay, plus a fishing port, it stands on the north shore of the Firth of Forth opposite Edinburgh...
. Though coastal, it is dependent upon both light and heavy industry, their decline leading to above-average unemployment. In Westminster elections the area has been safely held by Labour
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
since 1945.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Scottish Parliament election, 1999 The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members... |
Marilyn Livingstone Marilyn Livingstone Marilyn Livingstone is a Scottish Labour Co-operative politician, who served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Kirkcaldy constituency from 1999-2011.... |
Labour Scottish Labour Party The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland.... |
|
| 2003 Scottish Parliament election, 2003 The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive... |
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| 2007 Scottish Parliament election, 2007 The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999... |
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| 2011 Scottish Parliament election, 2011 The 2011 Scottish Parliament general election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system is used to... |
David Torrance David Torrance (politician) David Torrance is Scottish National Party member of the Scottish Parliament for the Kirkcaldy constituency, elected at the 2011 election-Background:... |
Scottish National Party Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.... |
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