Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

Highlands and Islands
electoral region for the Scottish Parliament
Highlands and Islands shown within Scotland
Population	448,311 (2019) [1]
Current electoral region
Created	1999
MSPs	Scottish National Party 7 Conservative 4 Liberal Democrats 2 Labour 1 Scottish Greens 1
Council areas	Argyll and Bute (part) Highland Moray (part) Na h-Eileanan Siar Orkney Islands Shetland Islands
Constituencies	Argyll and Bute Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Inverness and Nairn Moray Na h-Eileanan an Iar Orkney Shetland Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament, created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).

The name Highlands and Islands is much older than the electoral region. The Highlands and Islands area has a large area of overlap with the Scottish Highlands, and the two names are often regarded as representing the same area.

The Highlands and Islands region is the largest of the eight electoral regions in terms of area, but the smallest in terms of population and electorate. It has boundaries with the North East Scotland, Mid Scotland and Fife and the West Scotland electoral regions.

Constituencies and council areas

2026–present

Map of boundaries from 2011

As a result of the Second Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

2011–2026

As a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries of the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.

Map	Constituency
	Argyll and Bute Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Inverness and Nairn Moray Na h-Eileanan an Iar Orkney Shetland Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

1999–2011

The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing at that time. ^[2] They covered all of four council areas, ^[3] the Highland council area, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles council area), the Orkney Isles council area and the Shetland Isles council area, and most of two others, the Argyll and Bute council area and the Moray council area:

Map

Constituency

Argyll and Bute covers most of the Argyll and Bute council area. Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross covers a northern portion of the Highland council area. Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber covers a southern portion of the Highland council area. Moray covers most of the Moray council area. Orkney covers the Orkney Isles council area. Ross, Skye and Inverness West covers a central portion of the Highland council area. Shetland covers the Shetland Isles council area. Western Isles covers Na h-Eileanan Siar.

A south-eastern portion of the Argyll and Bute area is covered by the Dumbarton constituency, which is in the West of Scotland region. An eastern portion of the Moray area is covered by the Gordon constituency, in the North East Scotland region.

Boundary changes

The Boundary Commission also recommended changes to the electoral regions used to elect "list" members of the Scottish Parliament. Highlands and Islands was amended so as to contain the newly redrawn constituencies of Argyll and Bute; Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn; Moray; Na h-Eileanan an Iar; Orkney Islands; Shetland Islands; and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch. ^[4]

List of MSPs

Constituency MSPs

Term	Election	Argyll and Bute		Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross		Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber		Moray		Ross, Skye and Inverness West		Western Isles		Orkney		Shetland
1st	1999		George Lyon (LD)		Jamie Stone (LD)		Fergus Ewing (SNP)		Margaret Ewing (SNP)		John Farquhar Munro (LD)		Alasdair Morrison (Labour)		Jim Wallace (LD)		Tavish Scott (LD)
2nd	2003
	2006 by								Richard Lochhead (SNP)
3rd	2007		Jim Mather (SNP)										Alasdair Allan (SNP)		Liam McArthur (LD)
Term	Election	Argyll and Bute		Caithness, Sutherland and Ross		Inverness and Nairn		Moray		Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch		Na h-Eileanan an Iar		Orkney		Shetland
4th	2011		Michael Russell (SNP)		Rob Gibson (SNP)		Fergus Ewing (SNP)		Richard Lochhead (SNP)		David Thompson (SNP)		Alasdair Allan (SNP)		Liam McArthur (LD)		Tavish Scott (LD)
5th	2016				Gail Ross (SNP)						Kate Forbes (SNP)
	2019 by																Beatrice Wishart (LD)
6th	2021		Jenni Minto (SNP)		Maree Todd (SNP)

Regional list MSPs

N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only

Term	Election	MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP
1st	1999		Winnie Ewing (SNP)		Duncan Hamilton (SNP)		Rhoda Grant (Labour)		Maureen Macmillan (Labour)		Peter Peacock (Labour)		Jamie McGrigor (Conservative)		Mary Scanlon (Conservative)
2nd	2003		Rob Gibson (SNP)		Jim Mather (SNP)		Eleanor Scott (Green)
	2006 by														Dave Petrie (Conservative)
3rd	2007				David Thompson (SNP)		Rhoda Grant (Labour)		David Stewart (Labour)						Mary Scanlon (Conservative)
4th	2011		John Finnie (SNP) (later Independent)		Mike MacKenzie (SNP)						Jean Urquhart (SNP) (later Independent)
	2012
5th	2016		John Finnie (Green)		Maree Todd (SNP)						Douglas Ross (Conservative)		Edward Mountain (Conservative)		Donald Cameron (Conservative)
	2017										Jamie Halcro Johnston (Conservative)
6th	2021		Ariane Burgess (Green)		Emma Roddick (SNP)				Douglas Ross (Conservative)
	2024														Tim Eagle (Conservative)

Election results

Highlands & Islands election results 1999-2021

2026 Scottish Parliament election

Main article: 2026 Scottish Parliament election

2026 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
List		Candidates	Votes	Of total (%)	± from prev.
	SNP
	Conservative
	Labour
	Scottish Green	Ariane Burgess, Kristopher Leask, Kate Willis, Draeyk Van der Horn, Alex Armitage, Anne Thomas, Julie Christie
	Liberal Democrats
	Reform UK
	Alba
	Sovereignty	Stuart Jackson, Andrew MacDonald, and Kenneth Mackenzie

2021 Scottish Parliament election

Main article: 2021 Scottish Parliament election

Constituency results

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Argyll and Bute	Jenni Minto	SNP hold
	Caithness, Sutherland and Ross	Maree Todd	SNP hold
	Inverness and 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	Beatrice Wishart	Liberal Democrats hold
	Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch	Kate Forbes	SNP hold

Additional Member results

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands [5] [6]
List		Candidates	Votes	Of total (%)	± from prev.
	SNP	Emma Roddick , Kate Forbes , Maree Todd , Fergus Ewing , Tom Wills, Mike MacKenzie, Robert Leslie, Rhiannon Spear, Jamie Szymkowiak, Qasim Hanif, Ken Gowans, Sarah Fanet	96,433	40.4	0.7
	Conservative	Douglas Ross , Edward Mountain , Donald Cameron , Jamie Halcro Johnston , Tim Eagle, Ella Robertson McKay, Struan Mackie, Sam Brown, Gavin Berkenheger, Nick Tulloch	60,779	25.4	3.6
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Reid, Molly Nolan, Denis Rixson, William Sinclair, Sheila Ritchie, David Gregg, Neil Mitchison	26,771	11.2	2.1
	Labour	Rhoda Grant , John Erskine, Marion Donaldson, Jo Kirby, Coilla Drake, Lewis Whyte, Shaun Fraser	22,713	9.5	1.7
	Scottish Green	Ariane Burgess , Anne Thomas, Fabio Villani, Steve Sankey, Debra Nicholson, Sand Owsnett, Topher Dawson, Lisa Jane Mead, Chris Ballance, Isabella Sumsion, Phyl Meyer, Luna Martin	17,729	7.4	0.2
	Alba	Kirk Torrance, Craig Berry, Josh Robertson, Judith Reid	3,828	1.6
	Independent	Andy Wightman	3,367	1.4
	Scottish Family	Michael Willis, Philipp Tanzer, Shena McLelland, Sophie Hendry, Dolores Hughes	1,976	0.8
	All for Unity	Moira Ramage, Patricia Watson, Robbie Munro, Donald Boyd, Paul Burrows, Ian Mitchell, Alistair Kennedy, Paul Bradburn	1,540	0.6
	Abolish the Scottish Parliament	Jack Malcolm	686	0.3
	Freedom Alliance	Tina McCaffery, Emma Idzidowska, Phil Breed, Gary Cheesman, Anne McCloskey	671	0.3
	Reform UK	Sandra Skinner, Les Durance, Kate Brownlie, Catherine Mount	547	0.2
	Scottish Libertarian	Harry Christian, Calum Liptrot	488	0.2
	UKIP	Robert Stephenson, Robert Scorer, Michael Burger de Fremol, Duncan Geddes, Alan Breeze, Bryan Foster	457	0.2	2.4
	Restore Scotland	Brian Nugent, Andrew Macdonald	437	0.2
	TUSC	Sean Robertson, Yolanda Piotrowicz, Luke Ivory	280	0.1
	Independent	Hazel Mansfield	219	0.1

2016 election

In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 7 Scottish National Party MSPs (six constituency members and one additional member)
• 3 Conservative MSPs (all additional members)
• 2 Liberal Democrat MSPs (both constituency members)
• 2 Labour MSPs (both additional members)
• 1 Green MSP (additional member)

Constituency results

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Argyll and Bute	Michael Russell	SNP hold
	Caithness, Sutherland and Ross	Gail Ross	SNP hold
	Inverness and 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 and Badenoch	Kate Forbes	SNP hold

Additional member results

Elected candidates are highlighted in bold.

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands [7]
List		Candidates	Votes	Of total (%)	± from prev.
	SNP	Maree Todd , Laura Mitchell, Mike MacKenzie, Liz MacDonald, Richard Laird, Danus Skene, Angus MacLeod, Hugh Moodie, Ken Gowans, Donna Heddle, Antony Harrison, Muriel Cockburn	81,600	39.7	−7.8
	Conservative	Douglas Ross , Edward Mountain , Donald Cameron , Jamie Halcro Johnston, Struan Mackie, Cameron Smith, Robbie Munro	44,693	21.8	+10.1
	Liberal Democrats	Jamie Stone, Carolyn Caddick, James Patterson, David Green, Alan Reid, Angela MacLean, Jean Davis, Ken MacLeod	27,223	13.3	+1.2
	Labour	Rhoda Grant , David Stewart , Leah Franchetti, Sean Morton, Sarah Atkin, John Erskine, Robina Barton, Gerard McGarvey	22,894	11.2	−3.3
	Scottish Green	John Finnie , Isla O'Reilly, Fabio Villani, Ariane Burgess, Steve Sankey, Anne Katherine Thomas, Donnie Macleod, Michele Rhodius, Topher Dawson	14,781	7.2	+2.1
	UKIP	David Coburn, Arthur Leslie Durance, George King, Philip Andrew Anderson	5,344	2.6	0.7
	Independent	James Wilson Stockan	3,689	1.8	+1.8
	Scottish Christian	Donald Macleod Boyd, Andrew Henderson Shearer, Isobel Ann MacLeod, John Cranston Lister	3,407	1.7	−0.3
	RISE	Jean Urquhart, Conor Cheyne, Suzanne Nicola Wright, Louis McIntosh	889	0.4	N/A
	Solidarity	Liz Walker, Ryan Malcolm McGuinness, William Robertson Henderson, Findlay Robert Walker	793	0.4	+0.3

2011 election

In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows: ^[8]

• 9 Scottish National Party MSPs (six constituency members and three additional members)
• 2 Liberal Democrat MSPs (both constituency members)
• 2 Labour MSPs (both additional members)
• 2 Conservative MSPs (both additional members)

Constituency results

2011 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Argyll and Bute	Michael Russell	SNP hold
	Caithness, Sutherland and Ross	Rob Gibson	SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
	Inverness and 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 and Badenoch	Dave Thompson	SNP gain from Liberal Democrats

Additional member results

2011 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	John Finnie Jean Urquhart Mike MacKenzie	3	+1	85,082	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
	Scottish Green		0	0	9,076	5.1	+0.4
	Scottish Christian		0	0	3,541	2.0	-1.4
	UKIP		0	0	3,372	1.9	+1.2
	All Scotland Pensioners Party		0	0	2,770	1.5	-0.6
	Ban Bankers Bonuses		0	0	1,764	1.0	N/A
	Liberal		0	0	1,969	0.9	N/A
	Socialist Labour		0	0	1,406	0.8	+0.2
	BNP		0	0	1,134	0.6	-0.5
	Scottish Socialist		0	0	509	0.3	-0.2
	Solidarity		0	0	204	0.1	-0.9

2007 election

In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 6 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency MSPs and two additional members)
• 4 Liberal Democrat MSPs (all constituency MSPs)
• 3 Labour MSPs (all additional members)
• 2 Conservative MSPs (both additional members)

Constituency results

2007 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Argyll and Bute	Jim Mather	SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Jamie Stone	Liberal Democrats hold
	Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber	Fergus Ewing	SNP hold
	Moray	Richard Lochhead	SNP hold
	Orkney	Liam McArthur	Liberal Democrats hold
	Ross, Skye and Inverness West	John Farquhar Munro	Liberal Democrats hold
	Shetland	Tavish Scott	Liberal Democrats hold
	Western Isles	Alasdair Allan	SNP gain from Labour

Additional member results

2007 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	Rob Gibson David Thompson	2	±0	63,979	34.4	+11.0
	Liberal Democrats		0	±0	37,001	19.9	+1.1
	Labour	Peter Peacock Rhoda Grant David Stewart	3	+1	32,952	17.7	-4.6
	Conservative	Mary Scanlon Jamie McGrigor	2	±0	23,334	12.6	-3.4
	Scottish Green		0	-1	8,602	4.6	-3.6
	Scottish Christian		0	±0	6,332	3.4	+3.4
	Scottish Senior Citizens		0	±0	3,841	2.1	N/A
	BNP		0	±0	2,152	1.2	N/A
	Solidarity		0	±0	1,833	1.0	N/A
	UKIP		0	±0	1,287	0.7	-0.5
	Socialist Labour		0	±0	1,027	0.6	-0.4
	Scottish Socialist		0	±0	973	0.5	-4.8
	Publican Party		0	±0	914	0.5	N/A
	CPA		0	±0	885	0.5	N/A
	Scottish Voice		0	±0	450	0.2	N/A
	Scottish Enterprise		0	±0	211	0.1	N/A

2003 election

In the 2003 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 5 Liberal Democrat MSPs (all constituency MSPs)
• 4 Scottish National Party MSPs (two constituency MSPs and two additional members)
• 3 Labour MSPs (one constituency MSP and two additional members)
• 2 Conservative MSPs (both additional members)
• 1 Green MSP (additional member)

Constituency results

2003 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Argyll and Bute	George Lyon	Liberal Democrats
	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Jamie Stone	Liberal Democrats
	Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber	Fergus Ewing	SNP
	Moray	Margaret Ewing	SNP
	Orkney	Jim Wallace	Liberal Democrats
	Ross, Skye and Inverness West	John Farquhar Munro	Liberal Democrats
	Shetland	Tavish Scott	Liberal Democrats
	Western Isles	Alasdair Morrison	Labour

Changes:

• Margaret Ewing, Scottish National Party MSP for Moray, died on 21 March 2006. The by-election was won by Richard Lochhead of the SNP.

Additional member results

2003 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	Jim Mather Rob Gibson	2	±0	39,497	23.43	-4.3
	Labour	Peter Peacock Maureen Macmillan	2	−1	37,605	22.31	-3.16
	Liberal Democrats		0	0	31,655	18.78	-2.65
	Conservative	Jamie McGrigor Mary Scanlon	2	±0	26,989	16.01	+1.07
	Scottish Green	Eleanor Scott	1	+1	13,935	8.27	+4.52
	Scottish Socialist		0	0	9,000	5.34	+4.46
	UKIP		0	0	1,947	1.16	N/A
	Robbie the Pict (Independent)		0	0	1,822	1.08	+0.51
	Countryside		0	0	1,768	1.05	N/A
	Socialist Labour		0	0	1,617	0.96	-0.43
	Scottish People's		0	0	793	0.47	N/A
	Independent		0	0	353	0.21	+0.03
	Rural Party		0	0	177	0.11	N/A

Changes:

• Dave Petrie replaced Mary Scanlon. Scanlon resigned as an MSP in April 2006 to contest the Moray by-election following the death of Margaret Ewing. Petrie was next on the Conservative list.

1999 election

In the 1999 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 5 Liberal Democrat MSPs (all constituency members)
• 4 Scottish National Party MSPs (two constituency and two additional members)
• 4 Labour MSPs (one constituency and three additional members)
• 2 Conservative MSP (both additional members)

Constituency results

1999 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Argyll and Bute	George Lyon	Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Jamie Stone	Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
	Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber	Fergus Ewing	Scottish National Party win (new seat)
	Moray	Margaret Ewing	Scottish National Party win (new seat)
	Orkney	Jim Wallace	Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
	Ross, Skye and Inverness West	John Farquhar Munro	Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
	Shetland	Tavish Scott	Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
	Western Isles	Alasdair Morrison	Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)

Additional member results

1999 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	Winnie Ewing Duncan Hamilton	2	N/A	55,593	27.73	N/A
	Labour	Peter Peacock Maureen Macmillan Rhoda Grant	3	N/A	51,371	25.47	N/A
	Liberal Democrats		0	N/A	43,226	21.43	N/A
	Conservative	Jamie McGrigor Mary Scanlon	2	N/A	30,122	14.94	N/A
	Scottish Green		0	N/A	7,560	3.75	N/A
	I Noble (Independent)		0	N/A	3,522	1.75	N/A
	Socialist Labour		0	N/A	2,808	1.39	N/A
	Highlands and Islands		0	N/A	2,607	1.29	N/A
	Scottish Socialist		0	N/A	1,770	0.88	N/A
	Robbie the Pict (Independent)		0	N/A	1,151	0.57	N/A
	Independent		0	N/A	712	0.35	N/A
	Natural Law		0	N/A	536	0.27	N/A
	Independent		0	N/A	354	0.18	N/A

Footnotes

1. Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC) Population Estimates (2011 Data Zone based), National Records of Scotland; retrieved 6 May 2021 (accompanying summary notes)
2. Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies in 2005. See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland Archived 2007-09-21 at the Wayback Machine .
3. Council areas are as defined in 1996, and were changed after the 2007 Scottish Parliament election.
4. "Politicians, elections and democracy: Elections and voting: Scottish Parliamentary". Highland Council . Retrieved 9 August 2014.
5. MacNeill, Alison. "Scottish Parliamentary Election 2021 results for the Highlands and Islands Regional List". www.highland.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
6. Highlands and Islands [region], BBC News; retrieved 8 May 2021
7. "Scottish Parliamentary election 2016: Highlands and Islands Region Statement of persons and parties nominated and Notice of Poll". The Highland Council . Retrieved 15 May 2021.
8. "Your MSPs: Highlands & Islands" (PDF). Scottish Government. May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2014.