Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Scottish Parliament constituency)

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Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Scottish Parliament constituency).svg
South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region).svg
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire shown within the 2011 version of the South Scotland electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Electorate55,131 (2022) [1]
Current constituency
Created 2011
Party Conservative
MSP Rachael Hamilton
Council area Scottish Borders
Created from Roxburgh and Berwickshire,
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Gaelic: Eadraig, Rosbrog agus Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a county constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering part of the council area of Scottish Borders. [2] Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, it elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of ten constituencies in the South Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole. [3]

Contents

The constituency was established for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, and covers parts of the former constituencies of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale and Roxburgh and Berwickshire. The remaining parts of the Scottish Borders form part of the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency. [4] [5] The boundaries of the constituency remained unchanged following the Second Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries undertaken by Boundaries Scotland ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. [6]

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire is currently held by the Conservatives. The current MSP is Rachael Hamilton, who won the seat at a 2017 by-election following the resignation of previous member John Lamont in order to contest the 2017 UK general election.

Electoral region

Following the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, the other nine constituencies of the South Scotland region are: Ayr; Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley; Clydesdale; Dumfriesshire; East Kilbride; Galloway and West Dumfries; Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse; Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley; and Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale. [3] The region covers the whole of the council areas of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, and South Ayrshire council areas; and parts of the council areas of East Ayrshire, Midlothian, and South Lanarkshire. [7] By population it is now the largest of Scotland's eight electoral regions. [3]

Prior to the 2025 review, there were nine constituencies in the South Scotland region. Besides Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, the other eight constituencies were: Ayr; Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley; Dumfriesshire; East Lothian; Clydesdale; Galloway and West Dumfries; Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley; and Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale. The region covered the Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and South Ayrshire council areas in full and parts of the East Lothian, Midlothian and South Lanarkshire council areas.

Constituency boundaries and council areas

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries from 2011

The rest of the Scottish Borders is represented in the Scottish Parliament by the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency. [8] The electoral wards of Scottish Borders Council used in the current creation of Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire are: [9] [5]

Members of the Scottish Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
2011 John Lamont Conservative
2017 by-election Rachael Hamilton

Election results

2026 parliamentary election

2026 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
Votes%±%Votes%±%
Conservative Rachael Hamilton [10] [a]
SNP John Redpath [11]
Liberal Democrats
Labour Kaymarie Hughes
Green
Turnout
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency

2021 parliamentary election

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire [12] [13] [14] [a]
PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
Votes%±%Votes%±%
Conservative Rachael Hamilton [b] 18,56451.5Decrease2.svg3.717,07547.4Increase2.svg0.7
SNP Paul Wheelhouse [c] 11,70132.5Increase2.svg0.710,85730.1Decrease2.svg0.3
Liberal Democrats Jenny Marr2,3526.5Decrease2.svg1.22,4266.7Decrease2.svg1.9
Labour Ian Davidson 2,0505.7Increase2.svg0.42,4386.8Steady2.svg0.0
Green Barbra Harvie1,0843.0New1,6654.6Increase2.svg0.1
All for Unity 4921.4New
Alba 3170.9New
Independent Jesse Rae2900.8New
Scottish Family 1840.51New
Independent Green Voice 1480.41New
Abolish the Scottish Parliament 1340.37New
Reform 1160.32New
Scottish Libertarian 600.17New
UKIP 600.17Decrease2.svg2.1
Freedom Alliance (UK)510.17New
Vanguard 110.03New
Scotia Future 100.03New
Majority6,86319.0Decrease2.svg 4.4
Valid Votes36,04136,044
Invalid Votes8169
Turnout 36,12264.0Increase2.svg3.136,11364.0Increase2.svg3.1
Conservative hold Swing Decrease2.svg2.2
Notes
  1. ↑ Showing changes from 2016 general election.
  2. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency
  3. ↑ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

2017 by-election

In April 2017, John Lamont announced his intention to resign his seat in the Scottish Parliament in order to contest the 2017 UK general election. [15]

2017 Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire by-election [16] [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Rachael Hamilton 20,658 53.5 Decrease2.svg1.7
SNP Gail Hendry11,32029.3Decrease2.svg2.5
Labour Sally Prentice3,4068.8Increase2.svg3.5
Liberal Democrats Catriona Bhatia3,1968.3Increase2.svg0.6
Majority 9,33824.2Increase2.svg0.8
Total valid votes38,580
Rejected ballots73
Turnout 38,65370.9Increase2.svg10.0
Conservative hold Swing Increase2.svg0.4

2016 parliamentary election

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire [18] [19]
PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
Votes%±%Votes%±%
Conservative John Lamont [a] 18,25755.2Increase2.svg10.315,45246.7Increase2.svg15.2
SNP Paul Wheelhouse [b] 10,52131.8Increase2.svg5.410,06830.4Decrease2.svg4.4
Liberal Democrats Jim Hume [b] 2,5517.7Decrease2.svg9.62,8518.6Decrease2.svg6.2
Labour Barrie Cunning1,7665.3Decrease2.svg5.12,2516.8Decrease2.svg3.2
Green 1,4814.5Increase2.svg1.1
UKIP 7712.3Increase2.svg0.6
Clydesdale and South Scotland Independent1120.3New
RISE 680.2New
Solidarity 670.2Increase2.svg0.1
Majority7,73623.4Increase2.svg4.9
Valid Votes33,09533,121
Invalid Votes8868
Turnout 33,18360.9Increase2.svg7.733,18960.9Increase2.svg7.7
Conservative hold Swing
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency
  2. 1 2 Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

2011 parliamentary election

2011 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire [20]
PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
Votes%±%Votes%±%
Conservative John Lamont [a] 12,93344.88N/A9,04531.5N/A
SNP Paul Wheelhouse [b] 7,59926.37N/A10,00934.8N/A
Liberal Democrats Euan Robson 4,99017.32N/A4,24714.8N/A
Labour Rab Stewart2,98610.36N/A2,88110.0N/A
Green 9653.4N/A
UKIP 4811.7N/A
All-Scotland Pensioners Party 4421.5N/A
Independent Jesse Rae3081.07N/A
Socialist Labour 2010.7N/A
BNP 1830.6N/A
Scottish Christian 1780.6N/A
Scottish Socialist 710.2N/A
Solidarity 210.1N/A
Majority5,33418.51N/A
Valid Votes28,81628,724
Invalid Votes102166
Turnout 28,91853.2N/A28,89053.2N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for the Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency
  2. ↑ Elected on the party list

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 26.
  2. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 140.
  3. 1 2 3 Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 28.
  4. ↑ "The New Scottish Parliament Constituencies 2011" (PDF). BBC News online. 8 September 2010. p. 10. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. 1 2 "First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries Final Report" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. May 2010. p. 120. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 119-123.
  7. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 143.
  8. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 142.
  9. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 141.
  10. ↑ . @Rachael2Win https://x.com/Rachael2Win/status/1908458762962076051 . Retrieved 28 April 2025.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ "Yes group founder to challenge Tory deputy for Scottish Borders Holyrood seat". The National. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  12. ↑ "Constituencies A-Z: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Scottish Parliament election results 2021". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "Rachael Hamilton elected as MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire". Scottish Borders Council. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "Tory MSP to quit Holyrood to stand for Westminster". BBC News. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  16. ↑ "Scottish Parliament by election results 2017: Ettrick, Roxburghshire, Berwickshire". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  17. ↑ "WATCH: Rachael Hamilton wins Holyrood by-election". Border Telegraph. 9 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Scottish Parliament election results 2016". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  19. ↑ "Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire 2016 election results - list" (PDF). Scottish Borders Council. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "Results and turnout at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election". Electoral Commission. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2021.

Bibliography

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