Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (UK Parliament constituency)
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
DumfriesshireClydesdaleTweeddale2024Constituency.svg
Location within Scotland
Major settlements Dumfries, Annan, Gretna, Gretna Green, Kirkconnel, Lockerbie, Sanquhar
Current constituency
Created 2005
Member of Parliament David Mundell (Conservative)
Created from Dumfries, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale is a constituency of the House of Commons, located in the South of Scotland, within the Dumfries and Galloway, South Lanarkshire and Scottish Borders council areas. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting. It is currently represented in Westminster by the former Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, a Conservative, who has been the MP since 2005.

Contents

The seat has a diverse electoral history, with the Dumfriesshire area being a longtime Conservative seat, the Clydesdale area being formerly safe Labour territory, and Tweeddale had been part of Liberal Democrat-voting constituencies since the 1980s. Former Scottish Secretary, David Mundell [1] has held the seat since 2005, and from 2005 to 2017 was the only Conservative MP in Scotland. [2]

Constituency profile

One of the largest seats in terms of area, the constituency is predominantly rural and is very sparsely populated. It stretches from 10 miles outside of Edinburgh in the northeast all the way down to Gretna at the border with England. It is also the only seat in Scotland that has been held by the Conservatives in every election since its creation. It contains some very affluent areas as well as some more working-class areas; however, it is a large rural seat where farming is a big source of employment. The M74, which is the main road between Scotland and England, runs through the constituency as do the West Coast Mainline and Glasgow South Western railway lines. Its largest towns are Dumfries (Most of which is within the neighbouring seat of Dumfries and Galloway), Annan, Biggar, Gretna/Gretna Green, Langholm, Lockerbie, Moffat and Peebles. The seat also contains the Southern Upland Way, a popular walk for tourists in the south of Scotland. David Mundell has held the seat since its creation in 2005; however, it has been challenged by both the Labour Party and now the SNP. In the 2015 election, Mundell only retained the seat by a very slim majority of 798 with the SNP close behind. In the 2017 election, Mundell increased his majority to over 9000; however, by 2019 his majority had been reduced to 3800.

Boundaries

The Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency was created by the Fifth Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, and covers parts of the Dumfries and Galloway, South Lanarkshire and Scottish Borders council areas.

2005-2024: The Dumfries and Galloway Council wards of Annandale East and Eskdale, Annandale North, Annandale South, Lochar (part), Mid and Upper Nithsdale, and Nith (part), the Scottish Borders Council wards of Tweeddale East and Tweeddale West (part), and the South Lanarkshire Council wards of Clydesdale East and Clydesdale South (part).

2024-present: As above with some boundary changes within the Clydesdale East, Lochar and Nith wards.

Political history

The seat's main predecessor seats, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, all had distinct political influences. Dumfriesshire had been a Conservative/National Liberal seat from 1931 to 1997, but was lost to Labour's Russell Brown at the 1997 general election, in which the Conservatives lost all their Scottish seats.

Clydesdale had been a safe Labour seat since the 1980s, and Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale had been a Liberal/Liberal Democrat seat since 1983.

Following the boundary review for the 2005 general election, Labour held a clear majority of 12% over the Conservatives, according to calculations of notional results (an estimate of how the seat would have voted if it had existed at the previous election) and the seat was 96th [3] on the Conservatives' target list. The Liberal Democrats finished in a close third place at the election. However, former Conservative MSP David Mundell was successful in gaining the seat from Labour, with a swing of 8.0%. This left him as the sole Conservative MP representing a Scottish constituency at the 2005 general election, [4] after the Conservative MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, Peter Duncan was defeated when standing at the new Dumfries and Galloway constituency, [5] and Conservative attempts to gain Angus from the SNP ended in failure.

In 2010, Mundell was re-elected, with an increased majority. In 2015, after the SNP landslide victory in Scotland, he narrowly defeated the SNP candidate, Emma Harper by 798 votes, and was the only Scottish Conservative MP elected. [6] However, following the SNP's losses at the 2017 snap general election, the Conservatives gained 12 seats in Scotland, with Mundell increasing his majority to 9,441 votes. Mundell was re-elected at the 2019 general election, but with a reduced majority, in an election where the SNP made gains across Scotland at the expense of Labour and the Conservatives.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
2005 David Mundell Conservative

Election results

Dumfriesshire Clydesdale and Tweeddale election results Dumfriesshire Clydesdale Tweeddale election results 2005-2024.jpg
Dumfriesshire Clydesdale and Tweeddale election results

Elections in the 2020s

2024 general election: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale [7] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Mundell 14,999 33.9 −12.6
SNP Kim Marshall10,75724.3−13.6
Labour Daniel Coleman10,14022.9+14.6
Reform UK David Kirkwood3,8228.6N/A
Liberal Democrats Drummond Begg2,8006.3−1.0
Scottish Green Dominic Ashmole1,4483.4N/A
Scottish Family Gareth Kirk2080.5N/A
Majority4,2429.6+1.9
Turnout 44,34761.7–10.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Mundell 22,611 46.0 −3.4
SNP Amanda Burgauer18,83038.3+8.2
Labour Nick Chisholm4,1728.5−8.0
Liberal Democrats John Ferry3,5407.2+3.2
Majority3,7817.7−11.6
Turnout 49,15371.9−0.5
Conservative hold Swing −5.8
2017 general election: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Mundell 24,177 49.4 +9.6
SNP Màiri McAllan 14,73630.1−8.2
Labour Douglas Beattie8,10216.5+1.7
Liberal Democrats John Ferry1,9494.0+1.3
Majority9,44119.3+17.8
Turnout 48,96472.4−3.7
Conservative hold Swing +8.9
2015 general election: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale [12] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Mundell 20,759 39.8 +1.8
SNP Emma Harper 19,96138.3+27.5
Labour Archie Dryburgh7,71114.8−14.1
UKIP Kevin Newton1,4722.8+1.4
Liberal Democrats Amanda Kubie1,3922.7−17.1
Scottish Green Jody Jamieson8391.6+0.5
Majority7981.5−7.6
Turnout 52,13476.1+7.2
Conservative hold Swing -12.9
2010 general election: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Mundell 17,457 38.0 +1.8
Labour Claudia Beamish 13,26328.9−3.4
Liberal Democrats Catriona Bhatia9,08019.8−0.5
SNP Aileen Orr4,94510.8+1.7
UKIP Douglas Watters6371.4+0.4
Scottish Green Alis Ballance5101.1N/A
Majority4,1949.1+5.2
Turnout 45,89268.9+1.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.6

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative David Mundell 16,141 36.2
Labour Sean Marshall14,40332.3
Liberal Democrats Patsy Kenton9,04620.3
SNP Andrew Wood4,0759.1
Scottish Socialist Sarah MacTavish5211.2
UKIP Tony Lee4301.0
Majority1,7383.9
Turnout 44,61667.6
Conservative win (new seat)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Brown (British politician)</span> British politician (born 1951)

Russell Leslie Brown is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He is a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfriesshire (1997–2005) and Dumfries and Galloway (2005–2015). He lost his seat at the 2015 general election to Richard Arkless of the Scottish National Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumfries and Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

Dumfries and Galloway is a constituency in Scotland represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by John Cooper of the Scottish Conservatives since the 2024 general election. It was first contested in the 2005 general election, replacing Galloway and Upper Nithsdale and part of Dumfries. Like all British constituencies, it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system of election. Despite its name, it does not cover the whole of the Dumfries and Galloway council area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the south of Scotland within the Scottish Borders council area. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) at least once every five years using the first-past-the-post system of voting. Since 2017 the MP has been John Lamont of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lanark and Hamilton East (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

Lanark and Hamilton East was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used at the 2005 general election. It covered parts of the former Clydesdale, Hamilton North and Bellshill and Hamilton South constituencies, and it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutherglen and Hamilton West (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

Rutherglen and Hamilton West was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was created for the 2005 general election. It covered almost all of the former constituency of Glasgow Rutherglen and most of the former constituency of Hamilton South, and it elected one member of parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post voting system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used in the general election of 2005. It replaced East Kilbride and some of Clydesdale, and it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mundell</span> Scottish politician and solicitor

David Gordon Mundell, is a Scottish Conservative Party politician and solicitor who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale since 2005. He previously served as Secretary of State for Scotland from 2015 to 2019. Mundell was the first openly gay Conservative cabinet minister, coming out in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayr (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Ayr is a burgh constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering the town of Ayr in the council area of South Ayrshire. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) via the plurality electoral system. It is also one of nine constituencies in the South Scotland electoral region which elects seven additional members to the Scottish Parliament via a proportional electoral system known as the Additional Members System which allows for greater accuracy in representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley is a county constituency of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, covering parts of the council areas of South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality method of election. Also, it is one of nine constituencies in the South Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Conservatives</span> Part of the British Conservative Party

The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is part of the UK Conservative Party active in Scotland. It holds 5 of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons, 31 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and comprises 209 of Scotland's 1,227 local councillors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beattock</span> Village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Beattock is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, approximately 1⁄2 mile southwest of Moffat and 19 miles north of Dumfries.

Eastriggs is a small village located in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland, the village is located around 2 mi (3.2 km) north of the mud and sandbanks of the channel of the River Eden, which extends west into the Solway Firth.

Johnstonebridge is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galloway and West Dumfries (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Galloway and West Dumfries is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality method of election. It is also one of nine constituencies in the South Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumfriesshire (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Dumfriesshire is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality method of election. It is also one of nine constituencies in the South Scotland 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United Kingdom general election in Scotland</span>

A general election was held in the United Kingdom on 6 May 2010 and all 59 seats in Scotland were contested. The election result in Scotland was unusual in that there wasn't any change of seats from the 2005 general election, although the Labour Party took back two seats that it had lost in by-elections. This was the last general election at which the Labour Party won a majority of seats and plurality of votes in Scotland until 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 United Kingdom general election in Scotland</span>

A general election was held in the United Kingdom on 5 May 2005 and all 59 seats in Scotland were contested. This was the first election to occur under the new boundaries which reduced the number of Scottish seats from 72 to 59. Previously, Scotland had a greater number of MPs per person than the rest of the UK to compensate for its distinct political nature and distance from Westminster. With the introduction of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish constituencies were brought into line with those found in the rest of the UK, so that they had similar electorates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Harper</span> Scottish National Party politician

Emma Harper is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. She has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the South Scotland region since the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election</span> 2017 Scottish local government election

The 2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election took place on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Dumfries and Galloway Council. The election used the twelve wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with each ward electing three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation, with 43 councillors being elected, a reduction of 4 members and 1 ward since 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 United Kingdom general election in Scotland</span>

A general election was held in the United Kingdom on Thursday 8 June 2017; all 59 seats in Scotland were contested under the first-past-the-post electoral system.

References

  1. ↑ "Election 2015: David Mundell named new secretary of state for Scotland". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Election 2005: Conservatives hail lone success". BBC News. 6 May 2005. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "BBC NEWS – Election 2005 – Key Seats – Conservative". news.bbc.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Election 2005: Results: Scotland". BBC News. 23 May 2005. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  5. ↑ Jones, Philip N. (5 May 2005). "General Election – Dumfries and Galloway County Constituency – May 2005". dumgal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Election 2015: Election results: Mapping Scotland's dramatic change". BBC News. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "Results of Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  8. ↑ "Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale, and Tweeddale County Constituency results". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "UK Parliamentary General Election – December 2019" (PDF). Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  10. ↑ "Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale parliamentary constituency – Election 2019" . Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale – 2017 Election Results – General Elections Online". electionresults.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ↑ Haswell, Alex (8 May 2015). "UK Parliamentary Elections Results 2015 for the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and". dumgal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

55°12′N3°30′W / 55.2°N 3.5°W / 55.2; -3.5

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.