Scottish Parliament election, 2011

Scottish Parliamentary election, 2011
Scotland
5 May 2011
All 129 seats to the Scottish Parliament
65 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Alex Salmond Iain Gray
Party SNP Labour
Leader's seat Aberdeenshire East East Lothian
Last election 47 seats 46 seats
Seats before 46 44
Seats won 69 37
Seat change Increase23* Decrease7*
Regional vote 876,421 523,559
% and swing 44% Increase13% 26.3% Decrease2.9%
Constituency vote 902,915 630,461
% and swing 45.4% Increase12.4% 31.7% Decrease0.5%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Annabel Goldie Tavish Scott
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat West Scotland Shetland
Last election 17 seats 16 seats
Seats before 17 17
Seats won 15 5
Seat change Decrease2* Decrease12*
Regional vote 245,967 103,472
% and swing 12.4% Decrease1.5% 5.2% Decrease6.1%
Constituency vote 276,652 157,714
% and swing 13.9% Decrease2.7% 7.9% Decrease8.3%

The left side shows constituency winners of the election by their party colours. The right side shows regional winners of the election for the additional members by their party colours .

* Indicates boundary change - so this is a nominal figure

First Minister before election

Alex Salmond
SNP

 Elected First Minister

Alex Salmond
SNP

Scotland
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Scotland
  • British politics portal

The 2011 Scottish Parliament 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 used to elect MSPs was, according to Jack McConnell, originally implemented to prevent any party achieving an overall parliamentary majority. The SNP won 69 seats, the most the party has ever held at either a Holyrood or Westminster election, allowing leader Alex Salmond to remain First Minister of Scotland. The SNP gained 32 constituencies, twenty two from the Scottish Labour Party, nine from the Scottish Liberal Democrats and one from the Scottish Conservatives. Such was the scale of their gains that, of the 73 constituencies in Scotland, only 20 came to be represented by MSPs of other political parties. The Scottish Labour Party lost seven seats and suffered their worst election defeat in Scotland since 1931, with huge losses in their traditional Central Belt constituencies and for the first time having to rely on the regional lists to elect members within these areas. They did, however, remain the largest opposition party. Party leader Iain Gray announced his resignation following his party's disappointing result. The Scottish Liberal Democrats were soundly defeated; their popular vote share was cut in half and their seat total reduced from 17 to 5. Tavish Scott announced his resignation as party leader shortly after the election.[1] For Scottish Conservatives, the election proved disappointing as their popular vote dropped slightly and their number of seats fell by 2, with party leader Annabel Goldie also announcing her resignation.[2]

During the campaign, the four main party leaders engaged in a series of televised debates, as they had in every previous general election. These key debates were held on 29 March (STV), 1 May (BBC), and 3 May (STV). The results of the election were broadcast live on BBC Scotland and STV, on the night of the election.

It was the fourth general election since the devolved parliament was established in 1999 and was held on the same day as elections to the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly, as well as English local elections and the UK-wide referendum on the alternative vote.

Date

Under the Scotland Act 1998, an ordinary general election to the Scottish Parliament was held on the first Thursday in May four years after the 2007 election.[3]

Because of the problems of voter confusion and a high number of spoilt ballots in 2007 due to holding Scottish parliamentary and local elections simultaneously and under different voting systems, the next Scottish local elections were held in 2012 instead of 2011. This policy decision was contradicted, however, by the staging of the Alternative Vote referendum on 5 May 2011 as well.[4] Labour MP Ian Davidson expressed opposition to the referendum being staged on the same date as other elections.[4] Scottish Secretary Michael Moore stated that having the referendum on another date would cost an additional £17 million.[4]

British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens living in Scotland who were aged 18 or over on election day were entitled to vote. The deadline to register to vote in the election was midnight on Friday 15 April 2011, though anyone who qualified as an anonymous elector had until midnight on Tuesday 26 April 2011 to register.[5]

It was held on the same day as elections for Northern Ireland's 26 local councils, the Northern Irish Assembly and Welsh Assembly elections, a number of local elections in England and the United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum.

Boundary Review

The notional results of the 2007 election, based on the new boundaries

The table below shows the notional figures for seats won by each party at the last election. The Conservatives have been the biggest gainers as a result of the boundary changes, winning an extra 3 seats and Labour has lost the most seats, losing 2 overall.

Party Constituency Seats Regional Seats Total Seats Seat Change
SNP 21 25 46 –1
Labour 35 9 44 –2
Conservative 6 14 20 +3
Liberal Democrat 11 6 17 +1
Scottish Green 0 1 1 –1

Election system, seats, and regions

The total number of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) elected to the Parliament is 129.

The First Periodical Review of the Scottish Parliament's constituencies and regions by the Boundary Commission for Scotland was announced on 3 July 2007. The Commission published its provisional proposals for the regional boundaries in 2009.

The Scottish Parliament uses an Additional Members System, designed to produce approximate proportional representation for each region. There are 8 regions each sub-divided into smaller constituencies. There are a total of 73 constituencies. Each constituency elects one (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) system of election. Each region elects seven additional member MSPs using an additional member system. A modified D'Hondt method, using the constituency results, is used to calculate which additional member MSPs the regions elect.[6][7]

The Scottish Parliament constituencies have not been coterminous with Scottish Westminster constituencies since the 2005 general election, when the 72 former Westminster constituencies were replaced with a new set of 59, generally larger, constituencies (see Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Act 2004).

For details of the Revised proposals for constituencies at the Next Scottish Parliament election - Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions from 2011

The Boundary Commission have also recommended changes to the electoral regions used to elect "list" members of the Scottish Parliament. The recommendations[8] can be summarised below;

Retiring MSPs

At the dissolution of Parliament on 22 March 2011, twenty MSPs were not seeking re-election.[9]

Constituency/Region Departing MSP Party
Mid Scotland and Fife Christopher Harvie Scottish National Party
Argyll and Bute Jim Mather Scottish National Party
Lothians Ian McKee Scottish National Party
South of Scotland Alasdair Morgan Scottish National Party
Angus Andrew Welsh Scottish National Party
Paisley North Wendy Alexander Scottish Labour Party
Midlothian Rhona Brankin Scottish Labour Party
Glasgow Baillieston Margaret Curran Scottish Labour Party
Lothians George Foulkes Scottish Labour Party
North East Scotland Marlyn Glen Scottish Labour Party
West Renfrewshire Trish Godman Scottish Labour Party
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Cathy Jamieson Scottish Labour Party
Motherwell and Wishaw Jack McConnell Scottish Labour Party
Highlands and Islands Peter Peacock Scottish Labour Party
Ross, Skye and Inverness West John Farquhar Munro Scottish Liberal Democrats
Aberdeen South Nicol Stephen Scottish Liberal Democrats
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Jamie Stone Scottish Liberal Democrats
Glasgow Bill Aitken Scottish Conservative Party
Mid Scotland and Fife Ted Brocklebank Scottish Conservative Party
Lothians Robin Harper Scottish Green Party

Campaign

The parliament was dissolved on 22 March 2011 and the campaign began thereafter. The Conservatives saw 3 of their candidates drop out of the election during the period 25–28 March: Malcolm McAskill from the Glasgow regional ballot, Iain Whyte from the Glasgow Maryhill & Springburn constituency ballot and David Meikle from the Glasgow regional ballot.

The Liberal Democrat regional candidate for the Central Scotland region Hugh O'Donnell also withdrew on 27 March, citing discontent with the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition at Westminster.[10] Another Liberal Democrat, John Farquhar Munro, came out in support of Alex Salmond for First Minister, even though he also claimed not to support the SNP.[11] In the Clydesdale constituency, the Liberal Democrat candidate John Paton-Day failed to lodge his papers in time for the nomination deadline, leaving the constituency as the only one in Scotland with no Liberal Democrat candidate.[12] On 17 April, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott described himself as 'uncomfortable' with his Scottish party being 'related' to the Conservatives due to the coalition at Westminster.

A televised debate between the four main party leaders was shown on STV on 29 March, with SNP leader Alex Salmond and Conservative leader Annabel Goldie identified as the strongest performers.[13] The Scottish Sun newspaper came out in support of the SNP's campaign to win a second term, even though the newspaper does not back independence.

Whilst campaigning in Glasgow Central station, the Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray was ambushed by a group of anti-cuts protestors who chased him into a nearby fast-food outlet.[14] The same protestors had already targeted Conservative leader Annabel Goldie a month earlier. On 27 April, Iain Gray and SNP leader Alex Salmond were both present simultaneously in an Ardrossan branch of the Asda supermarket chain; both parties alleged that the other party's leader had 'ran away' from the possibility of an encounter with the other.[15]

Policy platforms

The main parties contesting the election all outlined the following main aims:[16]

Scottish National Party

Labour Party

Conservative Party

Liberal Democrats

Scottish Green Party

Parties contesting the election

Contesting constituency and regional ballot

Only the Scottish National Party, the Scottish Labour Party and the Scottish Conservative Party contested all constituencies.[17][18]

Contesting regional ballot only

Contesting constituency ballot only

Opinion polls

In March 2011, two months before the election, Labour held a double-digit lead over the SNP in the opinion polls,[23] 44% to 29%.[24] The SNP's support subsequently rallied, with the two parties level in April polling. In the final poll on the eve of the election, the SNP were eleven points clear of Labour.[23][25]

Result

The election produced a majority SNP government, making this the first time in the Scottish Parliament where a party had commanded a parliamentary majority. The SNP took 16 seats from Labour, many of whose key figures failed to be returned to parliament, although Labour leader Iain Gray retained East Lothian by 151 votes. The SNP took a further eight seats from the Liberal Democrats and one seat from the Conservatives. The SNP overall majority meant that there was sufficient support in the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum on Scottish independence.[26]

Labour's defeat was attributed to several factors: the party focused too heavily on criticising the Conservative-led coalition at Westminster, and assumed that former Lib Dem voters would automatically switch their vote to Labour, when in fact they appeared to have haemorrhaged support to the SNP.[27] Jackie Baillie compared the result to Labour's performance in the 1983 UK general election.[26] Iain Gray announced his intention to resign as leader of the Labour group of MSPs that autumn.[26]

The election saw a rout of the Liberal Democrats, with no victories in mainland constituencies[28] and 25 lost deposits (candidates gaining less than five per cent of the vote).[28] Leader Tavish Scott said their performance was due to the Liberal Democrats' involvement in the Westminster Government, which had been unpopular with many former LibDem supporters.[29] Scott resigned as leader two days after the election.[29]

For the Conservatives, the main disappointment was the loss of Edinburgh Pentlands, the seat of former party leader David McLetchie, to the SNP. McLetchie was elected on the Lothian regional list and the Conservatives only made a net loss of five seats, with leader Annabel Goldie claiming that their support had held firm.[26] Prime Minister David Cameron congratulated the SNP on the result, but vowed to campaign for the Union in any independence referendum.[26]

George Galloway, under a Unionist anti-cuts banner, failed to receive enough votes to be elected to the Glasgow regional list.[26] The Scottish Greens won two seats, including their co-convenor Patrick Harvie.[26] Margo MacDonald again won election as an independent on the Lothian regional list.[26]

Seats won to the Scottish Parliament following the 2011 election.
█ Scottish National Party (69)
█ Scottish Labour Party (37)
█ Scottish Conservative Party (15)
█ Scottish Liberal Democrats (5)
█ Scottish Green Party (2)
█ Independent (1)
 Scottish general election, 2011
Parties Additional member system Total seats
Constituency Region
Votes % +/− Seats +/− Votes % +/− Seats +/− Total +/− %
SNP 902,915 45.39 +12.46 53 +32 876,421 44.04 +13.03 16 −9 69 +23 53.49
Labour 630,461 31.69 −0.45 15 −20 523,559 26.31 −2.85 22 +13 37 −7 28.68
Conservative 276,652 13.91 −2.69 3 −3 245,967 12.35 −1.55 12 −2 15 −5 11.63
Liberal Democrats 157,714 7.93 −8.25 2 −9 103,472 5.20 −6.10 3 −3 5 −12 3.88
Scottish Green — — — — — 87,060 4.37 +0.33 2 ±0 2 ±0 1.55
Independent 12,357 0.62 −0.62 0 ±0 22,306 1.12 +0.08 1 ±0 1 ±0 0.78
Scottish Senior Citizens 1,618 0.08 ±0.00 0 ±0 33,253 1.67 −0.23 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
UKIP 2,508 0.13 +0.13 0 ±0 18,138 0.91 +0.51 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Socialist Labour — — — — — 16,847 0.85 +0.15 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Scottish Christian 1,193 0.06 −0.17 0 ±0 16,466 0.83 −0.47 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
BNP — — — — — 15,580 0.78 −0.42 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Scottish Socialist — — — — — 8,272 0.42 −0.21 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Respect — — — — — 6,972 0.35 +0.35 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Scottish Unionist — — — — — 3,002 0.15 −0.06 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Ban Bankers Bonuses — — — — — 2,968 0.15 +0.15 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Solidarity — — — — — 2,837 0.14 −1.38 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Liberal 436 0.02 +0.02 0 ±0 2,393 0.12 +0.12 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Pirate — — — — — 1,431 0.07 +0.07 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Christian Peoples — — — — — 1,191 0.06 −0.66 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
National Front 1,515 0.08 +0.08 0 ±0 640 0.03 +0.03 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Scotland Homeland Party — — — — — 620 0.03 +0.03 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Angus Independents Representatives 1,321 0.07 +0.07 0 ±0 471 0.02 +0.02 0 ±0 0 ±0 0.00
Land Party 276 0.01 +0.01 0 ±0 — — — — — 0 ±0 0.00
Communist 256 0.01 +0.00 0 ±0 — — — — — 0 ±0 0.00
  Total 1,989,222 100.00 — 73 ±0 1,991,051 100.00 — 56 ±0 129 ±0 100.00

Votes summary

Popular Vote
SNP
  
 44.04%
Labour
  
 26.31%
Conservative
  
 12.36%
Liberal Democrats
  
 5.20%
Green
  
 4.38%
Other
  
 7.71%
Parliament seats
SNP
  
 53.49%
Labour
  
 28.68%
Conservative
  
 11.63%
Liberal Democrats
  
 3.88%
Green
  
 1.55%
Other
  
 0.78%

Constituency and regional summary

Central Scotland

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: Central Scotland
Constituency Elected member Result
Airdrie and Shotts Alex Neil SNP gain from Labour
Coatbridge and Chryston Elaine Smith Labour hold
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Jamie Hepburn SNP gain from Labour
East Kilbride Linda Fabiani SNP gain from Labour
Falkirk East Angus MacDonald SNP gain from Labour
Falkirk West Michael Matheson SNP hold
Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Christina McKelvie SNP gain from Labour
Motherwell and Wishaw John Pentland Labour hold
Uddingston and Bellshill Michael McMahon Labour hold
Scottish parliamentary election, 2011: Central Scotland
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Richard Lyle
John Wilson
Claire Adamson		 3 −2 108,261 46.4% +15.5%
Labour Siobhan McMahon
Mark Griffin
Margaret McCulloch		 3 +3 82,459 35.3% −4.6%
Conservative Margaret Mitchell 1 ±0 14,870 6.4% −1.9%
Liberal Democrats 0 −1 3,318 1.4% −3.8%

Glasgow

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: Glasgow
Constituency Elected member Result
Glasgow Anniesland Bill Kidd SNP gain from Labour
Glasgow Cathcart James Dornan SNP gain from Labour
Glasgow Kelvin Sandra White SNP gain from Labour
Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Patricia Ferguson Labour hold
Glasgow Pollok Johann Lamont Labour hold
Glasgow Provan Paul Martin Labour hold
Glasgow Shettleston John Mason SNP gain from Labour
Glasgow Southside Nicola Sturgeon SNP gain from Labour
Rutherglen James Kelly Labour hold
Scottish parliamentary election, 2011: Glasgow
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Humza Yousaf
Bob Doris		 2 −2 83,109 39.8% +12.8%
Labour Hanzala Malik
Drew Smith
Anne McTaggart		 3 +3 73,031 35.0% −3.3%
Conservative Ruth Davidson 1 ±0 12,749 6.1% −0.6%
Scottish Green Patrick Harvie 1 ±0 12,454 6.0% +0.6%
Liberal Democrats 0 −1 5,312 2.5% −4.6%

Highlands and Islands

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll & Bute Michael Russell SNP hold
Caithness, Sutherland & Ross Rob Gibson SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Inverness & Nairn Fergus Ewing SNP hold
Moray Richard Lochhead SNP hold
Na h-Eileanan an Iar Alasdair Allan SNP hold
Orkney Liam McArthur Liberal Democrats hold
Shetland Tavish Scott Liberal Democrats hold
Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch Dave Thompson SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Scottish parliamentary election, 2011: Highlands and Islands
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP John Finnie
Jean Urquhart
Mike MacKenzie		 3 +1 85,028 47.5% +13.1%
Labour Rhoda Grant
David Stewart		 2 −1 25,884 14.5% −3.2%
Liberal Democrats 0 ±0 21,729 12.1% −8.0%
Conservative Jamie McGrigor
Mary Scanlon		 2 ±0 20,843 11.6% −0.8%

Lothian

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: Lothian
Constituency Elected member Result
Almond Valley Angela Constance SNP hold
Edinburgh Central Marco Biagi SNP gain from Labour
Edinburgh Eastern Kenny MacAskill SNP hold
Edinburgh Northern and Leith Malcolm Chisholm Labour hold
Edinburgh Pentlands Gordon MacDonald SNP gain from Conservative
Edinburgh Southern Jim Eadie SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Edinburgh Western Colin Keir SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Linlithgow Fiona Hyslop SNP gain from Labour
Midlothian North & Musselburgh Colin Beattie SNP gain from Labour
Scottish parliamentary election, 2011: Lothian
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP 0 −3 110,953 39.2% +12.9%
Labour Sarah Boyack
Kezia Dugdale
Neil Findlay		 3 +2 70,544 24.9% −1.3%
Conservative David McLetchie
Gavin Brown		 2 +1 33,019 11.7% −1.5%
Scottish Green Alison Johnstone 1 ±0 21,505 7.6% +0.5%
Independent Margo MacDonald 1 ±0 18,732 6.6% +0.0%
Liberal Democrats 0 15,588 5.5% −7.3

Mid Scotland and Fife

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: Mid Scotland and Fife
Constituency Elected member Result
Clackmannanshire & Dunblane Keith Brown SNP hold
Cowdenbeath Helen Eadie Labour hold
Dunfermline Bill Walker SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Fife North East Roderick Campbell SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Kirkcaldy David Torrance SNP gain from Labour
Mid Fife & Glenrothes Tricia Marwick SNP hold
Perthshire North John Swinney SNP hold
Perthshire South & Kinross-shire Roseanna Cunningham SNP hold
Stirling Bruce Crawford SNP gain from Labour
Scottish Parliament election, 2011: Mid Scotland and Fife
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Annabelle Ewing 1 ±0 116,691 45.2% +12.7%
Labour John Park
Claire Brennan-Baker
Richard Simpson		 3 0 64,623 25.0% −2.1%
Conservative Murdo Fraser
Elizabeth Smith		 2 −1 36,458 14.1% −1.5%
Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie 1 +1 15,103 5.9% −7.7%

North East Scotland

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: North East Scotland
Constituency Elected member Result
Aberdeen Central Kevin Stewart SNP gain from Labour
Aberdeen Donside Brian Adam SNP hold
Aberdeen South & North Kincardine Maureen Watt SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Aberdeenshire East Alex Salmond SNP hold
Aberdeenshire West Dennis Robertson SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Angus North & Mearns Nigel Don SNP hold
Angus South Graeme Dey SNP hold
Banffshire & Buchan Coast Stewart Stevenson SNP hold
Dundee City East Shona Robison SNP hold
Dundee City West Joe Fitzpatrick SNP hold
Scottish Parliament election, 2011: North East Scotland
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Mark McDonald 1 ±0 140,749 52.7% +12.2%
Labour Richard Baker
Jenny Marra
Lewis MacDonald		 3 ±0 43,893 16.4% −3.2%
Conservative Alex Johnstone
Nanette Milne		 2 ±0 37,681 14.1% −1.1%
Liberal Democrats Alison McInnes 1 ±0 18,178 6.8% −8.4%

South Scotland

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: South Scotland
Constituency Elected member Result
Ayr John Scott Conservative hold
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Adam Ingram SNP gain from Labour
Clydesdale Aileen Campbell SNP gain from Labour
Dumfriesshire Elaine Murray Labour hold
East Lothian Iain Gray Labour hold
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire John Lamont Conservative hold
Galloway and West Dumfries Alex Fergusson Conservative hold
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Willie Coffey SNP hold
Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale Christine Grahame SNP hold
Scottish Parliament election, 2011: South Scotland
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Joan McAlpine
Aileen McLeod
Paul Wheelhouse
Chic Brodie		 4 −1 114,270 40.96% +12.4
Labour Claudia Beamish
Graeme Pearson		 2 +2 70,596 25.3% −3.5
Conservative 0 −1 54,352 19.48% −2.8
Liberal Democrats Jim Hume 1 ±0 15,096 5.41% −4.5

West Scotland

Scottish Parliament general election, 2011: West Scotland
Constituency Elected member Result
Clydebank & Milngavie Gil Paterson SNP gain from Labour
Cunninghame North Kenneth Gibson SNP hold
Cunninghame South Margaret Burgess SNP gain from Labour
Dumbarton Jackie Baillie Labour hold
Eastwood Ken Macintosh Labour hold
Greenock & Inverclyde Duncan McNeil Labour hold
Paisley George Adam SNP gain from Labour
Renfrewshire North & West Derek MacKay SNP gain from Labour
Renfrewshire South Hugh Henry Labour hold
Strathkelvin & Bearsden Fiona McLeod SNP gain from Labour
Scottish Parliament election, 2011: West Scotland
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Stewart Maxwell
Stuart McMillan		 2 −2 117,306 41.5% +13%
Labour Mary Fee
Neil Bibby
Margaret McDougall		 3 +3 92,530 32.8% −1.8%
Conservative Annabel Goldie
Jackson Carlaw		 2 ±0 35,995 12.7% −2.0%
Liberal Democrats 0 −1 9,148 3.2% −4.9%

Top target seats of the main parties

Below are listed all the constituencies which required a swing of less than 5% from the 2007 result to change hands. Because the election was fought under new boundaries, the figures are based on notional results from 2007.[31]

SNP targets

Rank Constituency Winning party 2007 Swing to gain SNP's place 2007 Result
1 Glasgow Southside Labour 0.07 2nd SNP gain
2 Linlithgow Labour 0.45 2nd SNP gain
3 Stirling Labour 0.61 2nd SNP gain
4 Edinburgh Eastern Labour 0.80 2nd SNP gain
5 Airdrie and Shotts Labour 1.32 2nd SNP gain
6 Clydesdale Labour 1.85 2nd SNP gain
7 Glasgow Kelvin Labour 2.23 2nd SNP gain
8 Midlothian North & Musselburgh Labour 2.59 2nd SNP gain
9 Dumbarton Labour 2.64 2nd Labour hold
10 Falkirk East Labour 3.05 2nd SNP gain
11 East Lothian Labour 3.76 2nd Labour hold
12 East Kilbride Labour 3.78 2nd SNP gain
13 Glasgow Cathcart Labour 3.50 2nd SNP gain
14 Edinburgh Northern & Leith Labour 3.63 2nd Labour hold
15 Aberdeen South & North Kincardine Liberal Democrats 3.66 2nd SNP gain
16 Galloway & West Dumfries Conservative 3.84 2nd Con hold
17 Cumbernauld & Kilsyth Labour 3.94 2nd SNP gain
18 Edinburgh Central Liberal Democrats 4.05 3rd SNP gain
19 Caithness, Sutherland & Ross Liberal Democrats 4.28 2nd SNP gain
20 Edinburgh Pentlands Conservative 4.49 3rd SNP gain
21 Dunfermline Liberal Democrats 4.55 3rd SNP gain
22 Cunninghame South Labour 4.61 2nd SNP gain

Conservative targets

Rank Constituency Winning party 2007 Swing to gain Con place 2007 Result
1 Perthshire South & Kinross-shire SNP 2.23 2nd SNP hold

Labour targets

Rank Constituency Winning party 2007 Swing to gain Labour's place 2007 Result
1 Almond Valley SNP 0.007 2nd SNP hold
2 Cunninghame North SNP 0.07 2nd SNP hold
3 Dunfermline Liberal Democrats 0.14 2nd SNP gain
4 Aberdeen Central SNP 0.69 2nd SNP hold
5 Dumfriesshire Conservative 1.05 2nd Labour gain
6 Edinburgh Central Liberal Democrats 1.28 2nd SNP gain
7 Falkirk West SNP 1.28 2nd SNP hold
8 Clackmannanshire & Dunblane SNP 1.39 2nd SNP hold
9 Kilmarnock & Irvine Valley SNP 2.01 2nd SNP hold
10 Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP 2.52 2nd SNP hold
11 Dundee City West SNP 4.22 2nd SNP hold
12 Edinburgh Pentlands Conservative 4.31 2nd SNP gain
13 Mid Fife & Glenrothes SNP 4.53 2nd SNP hold

Liberal Democrat targets

Rank Constituency Winning party 2007 Swing to gain LD's place 2007 Result
1 Argyll & Bute SNP 1.41 2nd SNP hold
2 Aberdeen Central SNP 1.70 3rd SNP hold
3 Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale SNP 1.66 2nd SNP hold
4 Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire Conservative 2.61 2nd Con hold
5 Edinburgh Northern and Leith Labour 4.16 3rd Labour hold

Incumbents defeated

Constituency/Region MSP Party MSP Since Office previously held
Airdrie and Shotts Karen Whitefield Scottish Labour Party 1999
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Cathie Craigie Scottish Labour Party 1999
East Kilbride Andy Kerr Scottish Labour Party 1999 Minister for Finance and Public Services
Falkirk East Cathy Peattie Scottish Labour Party 1999
Glasgow Anniesland Bill Butler Scottish Labour Party 2000
Glasgow Cathcart Charlie Gordon Scottish Labour Party 2005
Glasgow Kelvin Pauline McNeill Scottish Labour Party 1999
Glasgow Shettleston Frank McAveety Scottish Labour Party 1999 Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport
Kirkcaldy Marilyn Livingstone Scottish Labour Party 1999
Clydesdale Karen Gillon Scottish Labour Party 1999
Clydebank and Milngavie Des McNulty Scottish Labour Party 1999 Deputy Minister for Communities
Cunninghame South Irene Oldfather Scottish Labour Party 1999
Strathkelvin and Bearsden David Whitton Scottish Labour Party 2007
Edinburgh South Mike Pringle Scottish Liberal Democrats 2003
North East Fife Iain Smith Scottish Liberal Democrats 1999
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Mike Rumbles Scottish Liberal Democrats 1999
Glasgow Robert Brown Scottish Liberal Democrats 1999
West of Scotland Ross Finnie Scottish Liberal Democrats 1999 Minister for the Environment and Rural Development
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale Jeremy Purvis Scottish Liberal Democrats 1999
Edinburgh West Margaret Smith Scottish Liberal Democrats 1999
Dunfermline West Jim Tolson Scottish Liberal Democrats 2007
Central Scotland Hugh O'Donnell Scottish Liberal Democrats 2007
South of Scotland Derek Brownlee Scottish Conservative Party 2005
Glasgow Anne McLaughlin Scottish National Party 2009
Lothian Shirley-Anne Somerville Scottish National Party 2007
Lothian (was previously member in West of Scotland) Bill Wilson Scottish National Party 2007

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Scots Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott quits post". BBC News. 7 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "BBC News - Scots Tory leader Annabel Goldie announces resignation". Bbc.co.uk. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "Scotland Act 1998 - Section 2 Ordinary General Elections". Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved 8 May 2007.
  4. 1 2 3 "Scots politicians oppose AV referendum date". BBC News (BBC). 30 September 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  5. ↑ The deadline for the receipt and determination of anonymous electoral registration applications was the same as the publication date of the notice of alteration to the Electoral Register (i.e. the fifth working day before election day).
  6. ↑ "Electoral system: How it works, 02 April 2003". BBC News Online. 2 April 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  7. ↑ D'Hondt system, BBC News Online, 28 September 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2011
  8. ↑ "Revised Recommendations" (PDF). Boundary Commission for Scotland. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  9. ↑ Black, Andrew (22 March 2011). "Scottish election: MSPs bidding farewell to Holyrood". BBC News.
  10. ↑ "BBC News - Scottish elections: Lib Dem candidate quits party". Bbc.co.uk. 27 March 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  11. ↑ Andrew Black (4 April 2011). "BBC News - Scottish election: John Farquhar Munro backs Salmond". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "BBC News - Scottish election: Lib Dem fails to lodge papers". Bbc.co.uk. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "Who won the first Scottish leaders' debate? | Election 2011 | STV News". News.stv.tv. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  14. ↑ "BBC News - Scottish election: Iain Gray targeted by protesters". Bbc.co.uk. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  15. ↑ "Asdagate: Alex Salmond and Iain Gray accused of 'hiding' from each other during supermarket visit | Election 2011 | STV News". News.stv.tv. 27 April 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  16. ↑ "BBC News - Scotland election: Issues guide". Bbc.co.uk. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  17. ↑ "Scottish Parliament Election 2011". STV News. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  18. ↑ "Scottish Election 2011". The Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  19. ↑ "Lib Dem fails to lodge papers". BBC News. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  20. ↑ "George Galloway". Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  21. ↑ "Scottish Homeland Party". Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  22. ↑ "Ban Bankers Bonuses" (PDF). Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  23. 1 2 Holyrood Elections: A shared goal but there could only be one winner - The Scotsman, 6 May 2011
  24. ↑ HOLYROOD VOTING INTENTIONS POLL - TNS/bmrb, 7 March 2011
  25. ↑ HOLYROOD VOTING INTENTIONS POLL - TNS/bmrb, 3 May 2011
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Scottish election: SNP wins election". BBC News. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  27. ↑ Black, Andrew (6 May 2011). "Scottish Election: Campaign successes and stinkers". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  28. 1 2 "Scottish election: SNP wins election". BBC News. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  29. 1 2 "Scottish election: SNP press Cameron on Scotland Bill". BBC News. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  30. ↑ Rogers, Simon (16 March 2012). "UK election historic turnouts since 1918". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  31. ↑ "The New Scottish Parliament Constituencies 2011" (PDF). BBC News online. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010.

External links

Party manifestos

Party election broadcasts

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, May 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.