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Perth (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Perth 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.
For the Scottish Parliament election, 2011, the constituency of Perth, will be abolished and replaced by Perthshire North
and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire
.
The other eight constituencies of the South of Scotland region are Dunfermline East
, Dunfermline West
, Fife Central
, Fife North East
, Kirkcaldy
, Ochil
, 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. The area has been covered by Westminster constituencies with differing names but similar boundaries since 1918
, but in 2005
Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies. Most of the Perth Westminster constituency
was merged into Ochil and South Perthshire
. Part, including the town of Perth
, was merged into Perth and North Perthshire
.
The Holyrood constituency of Perth covers a central portion of the Perth and Kinross council area
. The rest of the council area is covered by two Mid Scotland and Fife constituencies, Ochil
and Tayside North
, and one North East Scotland constituency, Angus
.
The Ochil constituency, to the south of the Perth constituency, also covers the Clackmannanshire council area
and a south-eastern portion of the Stirling council area
.
Tayside North, to the north of the Perth constituency, also covers a northern portions of the Angus council area
.
The Angus constituency, to the north-east of the Perth 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.
Following their First Periodic review of constituencies to the Scottish Parliament in time for the next election in 2011, the Boundary Commission for Scotland has created two newly drawn seats to replace Perth. These will be known as Perthshire North and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.
and the towns of Bridge of Earn
, Auchterarder
, Crieff
and Comrie
. It is a relatively prosperous, largely rural, Lowland
seat on the fringe of the Highlands
, with successful livestock farming, fruit-growing and tourism interests. Unemployment is relatively low and half the electorate lives in the town of Perth itself.
In Westminster elections the area is traditionally Conservative, and Conservatives have held seats representing the area during most of the period since World War II
. Scottish National Party (SNP)
tradition is also strong, however, and the SNP has contested every parliamentary election in the area in the same post war period. In the Perth and Kinross Westminster by-election
in 1995, the SNP's Roseanna Cunningham
won the Perth and Kinross Westminster seat from the Conservatives with an 11.5% swing. She then held the seat in the 1997 United Kingdom general election
and went on to be elected to Holyrood in the 1999 Scottish Parliament election
, and to be re-elected in the 2003 Scottish Parliament election
.
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, however, 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.
For the Scottish Parliament election, 2011, the constituency of Perth, will be abolished and replaced by Perthshire North
Perthshire North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Perthshire North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire
Perthshire South and Kinross-shire (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Perthshire and Kinross-shire is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
.
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...
, Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Kirkcaldy 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...
, 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. The area has been covered by Westminster constituencies with differing names but similar boundaries since 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, but 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....
Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies. Most of the Perth Westminster constituency
Perth (UK Parliament constituency)
Perth was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918, 1918 to 1950, and 1997 to 2005. From 1832 to 1918 it was a burgh constituency. From 1918 to 1950, and 1997 to 2005, it was a county constituency...
was merged into Ochil and South Perthshire
Ochil and South Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Ochil and South Perthshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. Part, including the town of Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, was merged into Perth and North Perthshire
Perth and North Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Perth and North Perthshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
.
The Holyrood constituency of Perth covers a central portion 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...
. The rest of the council area is covered by two Mid Scotland and Fife constituencies, 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...
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...
, and one North East Scotland constituency, Angus
Angus (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Angus is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
.
The Ochil constituency, to the south of the Perth constituency, also covers 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'....
and a south-eastern portion 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...
.
Tayside North, to the north of the Perth constituency, also covers a northern portions 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...
.
The Angus constituency, to the north-east of the Perth 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.
Boundary review
See Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions from 2011Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions from 2011
As a result of the first periodical review of Scottish Parliament constituencies, , new constituencies and additional member regions of the Scottish Parliament are to be introduced for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election...
Following their First Periodic review of constituencies to the Scottish Parliament in time for the next election in 2011, the Boundary Commission for Scotland has created two newly drawn seats to replace Perth. These will be known as Perthshire North and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.
Constituency profile
The constituency is a combination of small prosperous towns and rich agricultural land. It includes the town of PerthPerth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
and the towns of Bridge of Earn
Bridge of Earn
Bridge of Earn is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland.Often referred to simply as 'The Brig' by its inhabitants...
, Auchterarder
Auchterarder
Auchterarder is a small town located north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the famous Gleneagles Hotel. The 1.5 mile long High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "Lang Toon"....
, Crieff
Crieff
Crieff is a market town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich and also lies on the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins onto the A823 which leads to Dunfermline....
and Comrie
Comrie
Comrie is an affluent village and parish in the southern highlands of Scotland, towards the western end of the Strathearn district of Perth and Kinross, seven miles west of Crieff. The village has won the Royal Horticultural Society "Large Village Britain in Bloom Winner" in 2007 and 2010...
. It is a relatively prosperous, largely rural, Lowland
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
seat on the fringe of the Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, with successful livestock farming, fruit-growing and tourism interests. Unemployment is relatively low and half the electorate lives in the town of Perth itself.
In Westminster elections the area is traditionally Conservative, and Conservatives have held seats representing the area during most of the period since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Scottish National Party (SNP)
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
tradition is also strong, however, and the SNP has contested every parliamentary election in the area in the same post war period. In the Perth and Kinross Westminster by-election
Perth and Kinross by-election, 1995
A by-election for the UK Parliament constituency of Perth and Kinross in Scotland was held on 25 May 1995, following the death of Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Fairbairn on 19 February of that year....
in 1995, the SNP's Roseanna Cunningham
Roseanna Cunningham
Roseanna Cunningham is the Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, having previously represented Perth.-Early life:Raised in Australia, she returned to Scotland and...
won the Perth and Kinross Westminster seat from the Conservatives with an 11.5% swing. She then held the seat in the 1997 United Kingdom general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
and went on to be elected to Holyrood in the 1999 Scottish Parliament election
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...
, and to be re-elected in the 2003 Scottish Parliament election
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...
.
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... |
Roseanna Cunningham Roseanna Cunningham Roseanna Cunningham is the Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, having previously represented Perth.-Early life:Raised in Australia, she returned to Scotland and... |
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.... |
|
| 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... |
|||
| 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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