Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 57°05′42″N 2°07′59″W / 57.095°N 2.133°W / 57.095; -2.133

Aberdeen South
Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Aberdeen South in Scotland for the 2005 general election.
Subdivisions of Scotland City of Aberdeen
Electorate 69,332
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of parliament Callum McCaig (SNP)
Number of members One
Overlaps
Scottish Parliament North East Scotland
European Parliament constituency Scotland

Aberdeen South is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The current MP is Callum McCaig of the Scottish National Party.

The constituency was first used in the 1885 general election, but has undergone boundary changes since then. There is also an Aberdeen South Holyrood constituency, a constituency of the Scottish Parliament,[1] created in 1999 with the boundaries of the Westminster constituency at that time.

Boundaries

Council areas
grouped by the Fifth Review
Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire

Current

As redefined by the Fifth Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, and subsequently first used in the 2005 general election,[2] Aberdeen South is entirely within the Aberdeen City council area and one of five constituencies covering that council area and the Aberdeenshire council area.

To the south and west of Aberdeen South there is West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, which is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area. To the north there is Aberdeen North which, like Aberdeen South is entirely within the Aberdeen City area. Further north there is Gordon, which covers part of the Aberdeen City area and part of the Aberdeenshire area. To the north of Gordon there is Banff and Buchan which, like West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area.

Historic

1885 to 1918

From 1832 to 1885 there was a single Aberdeen constituency. Prior to 1832, the burgh of Aberdeen had been represented as a component of the Aberdeen Burghs constituency.

When Aberdeen South was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and first used in the 1885 general election, so was Aberdeen North. Aberdeen South then consisted of the municipal wards of St Nicholas, Rosemount, Rubislaw and Ferryhill, and the 9th Parliamentary Polling District.[3] The rest of the county of Aberdeen was covered by the county constituencies of Eastern Aberdeenshire and Western Aberdeenshire.[4]

The same boundaries were used in the 1886 general election, the 1892 general election, the 1895 general election, the 1900 general election, the 1906 general election, the January 1910 general election and the December 1910 general election.

1918 to 1950

In 1918 constituency boundaries were redefined by the Representation of the People Act 1918. By then the City of Aberdeen had been created; Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South became the two constituencies covering the city (which was one of four counties of cities in Scotland) and entirely within the city. The new boundaries were first used in the 1918 general election, and Aberdeen South then consisted of the wards of Ferryhill, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and St Nicholas.[4] The county of Aberdeen was covered by Aberdeen and Kincardine East, Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire. East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county of Aberdeen. Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire covered the county of Kincardine (minus the burgh of Inverbervie, which was included in Montrose Burghs) and part of the county of Aberdeen.

The same boundaries were used in the 1922, 1923, 1924, 1929, 1931, 1935 and 1945 general elections.

1950 to 1955

For the 1950 general election boundaries were redefined again, by the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949. A new list of wards defined Aberdeen South - Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and Torry[4] - but the City of Aberdeen remained a two-constituency city, divided between Aberdeen South and Aberdeen North, with both constituencies entirely within the city.

The county of Aberdeen was now again divided between East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire, with both of these constituencies entirely within the county.

The same boundaries were used for the 1951 general election.

1955 to 1983

By the time of the 1955 general election, a boundary review had taken account of a small enlargement of the city area. However, the same list of wards - Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and Torry[4] - continued to define Aberdeen South, and the same boundaries were used for the 1959 general election, the 1964 general election, the 1966 general election, the 1970 general election, the February 1974 general election and the October 1974 general election.

In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties were abolished, and the City of Aberdeen was enlarged to include areas formerly within the county of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine. Also, the city became a district within the Grampian region. The enlarged city included areas covered by the constituencies of West Aberdeenshire and North Angus and Mearns. North Angus and Mearns had been created in 1950 to cover the county of Kincardine and part of the county of Angus.

The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.

1983 to 1997

For the 1983 election, the electoral wards used to create this seat were Rosemount, Rubislaw, St Clements, St Nicholas, Hazelhead, Holburn, Ferryhill, Torry, Nigg.[5]

The 1983 general election, the 1987 general election and the 1992 general election took place during this period. At the 1992 General Election the constituency was the only seat which Labour had won at the 1987 election to be gained by the Conservatives.

In 1996, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, local government regions and districts were abolished and the city became one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. Also, the name of the city became, officially, Aberdeen City.

1997 to 2005

As redefined for the 1997 general election Aberdeen South was one of three constituencies covering and entirely within the Aberdeen City area, the other two being Aberdeen North and Aberdeen Central. Aberdeen South shared boundaries with both of the other two constituencies.

The same boundaries were used for the 2001 general election.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1885 James Bryce Liberal
1907 George Birnie Esslemont Liberal
1917 John Fleming Liberal
1918 Sir Frederick Charles Thomson, Bt. Unionist
1935 Sir Douglas Thomson, Bt. Unionist
1946 Lady Tweedsmuir Unionist
1966 Donald Dewar Labour
1970 Iain Sproat Conservative
1983 Gerry Malone Conservative
1987 Frank Doran Labour
1992 Raymond Robertson Conservative
1997 Anne Begg Labour
2015 Callum McCaig Scottish National Party

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Aberdeen South[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Callum McCaig 20,221 41.6 +29.8
Labour Anne Begg 12,991 26.8 -9.8
Conservative Ross Thomson 11,087 22.8 +2.1
Liberal Democrat Denis Rixon[8] 2,252 4.6 -23.7
Scottish Green Dan Yeats[9] 964 2.0 +1.0
UKIP Sandra Skinner[10] 897 1.8 N/A
Independent Christopher Gray[10] 139 0.3 N/A
Majority 7,230 14.9 n/a
Turnout 48,551 71.3 +4.1
SNP gain from Labour Swing +19.8
General Election 2010: Aberdeen South[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anne Begg 15,722 36.5 0.2
Liberal Democrats John Sleigh 12,216 28.4 5.1
Conservative Amanda Harvie 8,914 20.7 +3.6
SNP Mark McDonald 5,102 11.9 +2.0
BNP Susan Ross 529 1.2 N/A
Scottish Green Rhonda Reekie 413 1.0 0.9
SACL Robert Green 138 0.3 N/A
Majority 3,506 8.1
Turnout 43,034 67.2 +5.1
Labour hold Swing 2.5

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Aberdeen South[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anne Begg 15,272 36.7 1.3
Liberal Democrat Vicki Harris 13,924 33.5 +4.9
Conservative Stewart Whyte 7,134 17.1 2.7
SNP Maureen Watt 4,120 9.9 2.3
Scottish Green Rhonda Reekie 768 1.8 N/A
Scottish Socialist Donald Munro 403 1.0 0.4
Majority 1,348 3.2
Turnout 41,621 62.1 +2.4
Labour hold Swing 3.1
General Election 2001: Aberdeen South[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anne Begg 14,696 39.8 +4.6
Liberal Democrat Ian Yuill 10,308 27.9 +0.3
Conservative Moray Macdonald 7,098 19.2 7.1
SNP Ian Angus 4,293 11.6 +1.9
Scottish Socialist David Watt 495 1.3 N/A
Majority 4,388 11.9
Turnout 36,890 62.5 10.3
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Aberdeen South[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anne Begg 15,541 35.3 +11.4
Liberal Democrat Nicol Stephen 12,176 27.6 +1.0
Conservative Raymond Robertson 11,621 26.4 11.0
SNP Jim Towers 4,299 11.6 2.3
Referendum Ric Wharton 425 1.0 N/A
Majority 3,365 7.7
Turnout 44,062 72.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.2
General Election 1992: Aberdeen South, revised boundaries (Notional)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 37.4 N/A
Liberal Democrat 26.6 N/A
Labour 23.9 N/A
SNP 12.0 N/A
Majority 10.8 N/A
General Election 1992: Aberdeen South[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Robertson 15,808 38.5 +3.6
Labour Frank Doran 14,291 34.8 2.9
SNP James C. Davidson 6,223 15.1 +8.6
Liberal Democrat Ms. Irene Keith 4,767 11.6 9.3
Majority 1,517 3.7 +0.9
Turnout 41,089 70.2 +3.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.3

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Aberdeen South[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Doran 15,917 37.7 +7.8
Conservative Gerry Malone 14,719 34.8 4.1
Social Democratic I.G. Philip 8,844 20.9 5.3
SNP Michael Weir 2,776 6.6 +1.6
Majority 1,198 2.9
Turnout 42,256 67.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.0
General Election 1983: Aberdeen South[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerry Malone 15,393 38.9
Labour R. Middleton 11,812 29.9
Social Democratic I.D. Philip 10,372 26.2
SNP Sam Coull 1,974 5.0
Majority 3,581 9.1
Turnout 39,551 68.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Iain MacDonald Sproat 20,820 40.72
Labour Norman Anthony Godman 20,048 39.21
Liberal H. Pitt-Watson 5,901 11.54
SNP A. Stronach 4,361 8.53
Majority 772 1.51
Turnout 78.55
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Aberdeen South[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Iain MacDonald Sproat 18,475 35.47
Labour R. Middleton 18,110 34.77
SNP A. Stronach 10,481 20.12
Liberal A.A. Robbie 5,018 9.63
Majority 365 0.70
Turnout 76.32
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Iain MacDonald Sproat 21,938 39.63
Labour R. Middleton 18,380 33.20
SNP A. Stronach 7,599 13.73
Liberal A. Robbie 7,447 13.45
Majority 3,558 6.43
Turnout 82.17
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Iain MacDonald Sproat 23,843 45.41
Labour Donald Campbell Dewar 22,754 43.33
Liberal Kenneth J.B.S. McLeod 3,135 5.97
SNP Bruce M. Cockie 2,777 5.29
Majority 1,089 2.07
Turnout 77.05
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Donald Campbell Dewar 23,291 46.1
Conservative Lady Tweedsmuir 21,492 42.5
Liberal Norman W. King 5,797 11.5
Majority 1,799 3.6
Turnout 81.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.6
General Election 1964: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lady Tweedsmuir 25,824 50.00
Labour Donald Campbell Dewar 21,926 42.45
SNP John Reid 3,898 7.55
Majority 3,898 7.55
Turnout 83.80
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Aberdeen South[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lady Tweedsmuir 25,471 53.8
Labour Peter Muir Doig 17,349 36.6
Liberal Elma Tryphosa Dangerfield 4,558 9.6
Majority 8,122
Turnout 81.57
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1955: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lady Tweedsmuir 26,817 57.74
Labour Judith Hart 19,627 42.26
Majority 7,190 15.48
Turnout 81.07
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1951: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lady Tweedsmuir 28,947 58.75
Labour S Shaw 20,325 41.25
Majority 8,622 17.50
Turnout 82.69
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1950: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lady Tweedsmuir 26,128 53.68
Labour O Crutchley 17,302 35.54
Liberal Richard Thomas Pirie 5,248 10.78
Majority 8,826 18.13
Turnout 84.89
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

Aberdeen South by-election, 1946[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lady Tweedsmuir 21,750
Labour Arthur James Irvine 17,911
Majority 3,839
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1945: Aberdeen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist James Douglas Wishart Thomson 19,214 46.73
Labour W McLaine 17,398 42.32
Liberal James Logie Milne 4,501 10.95
Majority 1,816 4.42
Turnout 72.20
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Aberdeen South[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir James Douglas Wishart Thomson 25,270 68.14
Labour G.R. McIntosh 11,817 31.86
Majority 13,453 36.27
Turnout 65.85
Unionist hold Swing
Aberdeen South by-election, 1935[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir James Douglas Wishart Thomson 20,925
Labour Joseph Forbes Duncan 10,760
Majority 10,165
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1931: Aberdeen South[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir Frederick Charles Thomson 33,988 83.68
Labour G. Catto 6,627 16.32
Majority 27,361 67.37
Turnout 75.83
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Aberdeen South [26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir Frederick Charles Thomson 21,540 60.1
Labour William Henry Porteous Martin 13,856 39.1
Majority 7,684 20.2
Turnout 35,396
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1924: Aberdeen South[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Charles Thomson 16,092
Labour G. Archibald 10,699
General Election 1923: Aberdeen South [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Charles Thomson 11,258 47.3 -10.7
Labour John Paton 6,911 29.0 n/a
Liberal Sir Charles Edward Mallet 5,641 23.7 -18.3
Majority 18.3
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1922: Aberdeen South [29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Charles Thomson 13,208 58.0 -4.4
Liberal Sir Charles Edward Mallet 9,573 42.0 +21.2
Majority 3,635 16.0 -25.6
Turnout 57.5
Unionist hold Swing -12.8

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Aberdeen South[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Charles Thomson 10,625
Liberal Sir John Fleming 3,535
Independent James Robertson Watson 2,868
Aberdeen South by-election, 1917
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir John Fleming 3,283 64.1
Independent James Robertson Watson 1,507 29.4
Independent Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence 333 6.5
Majority 1,776 34.7
Turnout 37.1
Liberal hold Swing
General Election December 1910: Aberdeen South[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Birnie Esslemont 5,862
Conservative William C Smith 3,997
General Election January 1910: Aberdeen South[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Birnie Esslemont 6,749
Conservative Ronald John McNeill 4,433

Elections in the 1900s

Aberdeen South by-election, 1907[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Birnie Esslemont 3,779
Conservative Ronald John McNeill 3,412
Independent Labour Fred Bramley 1,740
General Election 1906: Aberdeen South[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rt Hon James Bryce 6,778
Liberal Unionist W.G. Black 2,334
General Election 1900: Aberdeen South[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rt Hon James Bryce 4,238
Liberal Unionist William Charles Smith 3,830

Elections in the 1890s

James Bryce
General Election 1895: Aberdeen South[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rt Hon James Bryce 3,985
Liberal Unionist David Stewart 3,121

By-election, 23 August 1892 - James Bryce re-elected unopposed

General Election 1892: Aberdeen South[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rt Hon James Bryce 3,513
Liberal Unionist James S.G. McCullagh 1,768
Scottish Trades Councils Henry Hyde Champion 991

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1886: Aberdeen South[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Bryce Unopposed N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General Election 1885: Aberdeen South[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Bryce 3,548
Conservative Colin McKenzie 1,455

References

  1. The boundaries of Holyrood constituencies remain as when the constituencies were created in 1999
    Holyrood refers to the fact that the Scottish Parliament Building is in the Holyrood area of Edinburgh
    See also Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
  2. Boundary Commission for Scotland website
    See also List of UK Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland
  3. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  4. 1 2 3 4 Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972
  5. Crewe, Ivor (1983). British Parliamentary Constituencies - a statistical compendium. faber and faber. ISBN 0-571-13236-7.
  6. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  7. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=64806&sID=25937
  8. "List of selected candidates". Liberal Democrats. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  9. http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/news/scottish-greens-confirm-32-candidates-for-biggest-mp-push/
  10. 1 2 http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/aberdeensouth/
  11. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Aberdeen South". BBC News.
  13. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  18. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. Whitaker's Almanack, 1977
  21. Whitaker's Almanack 1963
  22. The Times, 28 November 1946
  23. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  24. The Times, 23 May 1935
  25. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  26. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  27. Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
  28. The Times, 8 December 1923
  29. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  30. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  31. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  32. The Times, 21 February 1907
  33. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  34. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  35. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  36. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
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