Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were 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 West of Scotland electoral regions.

Constituencies and council areas

The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing in at that time [Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies in 2005. See [http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/ "The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland] ".] . They cover all of four council areas [Council areas are as defined in 1996, and may be subject to change after the next Scottish Parliament election.] , 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:

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.

= Election results =

2007 Scottish Parliament 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

Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Argyll and Bute
MSP = Jim Mather
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
MSP = Jamie Stone
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
MSP = Fergus Ewing
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Moray
MSP = Richard Lochhead
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Orkney
MSP = Liam McArthur
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Ross, Skye and Inverness West
MSP = John Farquhar Munro
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency hold electoral region with party link
constituency = Shetland
MSP = Tavish Scott
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Western Isles
MSP = Alasdair Allan
winner = Scottish National Party
loser = Scottish Labour Party

Additional member results

Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 63,979
percentage = 34.4%
change = +11.0
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Rob Gibson
David Thompson Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 37,001
percentage = 19.9%
change = +1.1
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Labour Party
votes = 32,952
percentage = 17.7%
change = -4.6
number = 3
numberchange= +1
elected = Peter Peacock
Rhoda Grant
David Stewart Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 23,334
percentage = 12.6%
change = -3.4
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Mary Scanlon
Jamie McGrigor Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Green Party
votes = 8,602
percentage = 4.6%
change = -3.6
number = 0
numberchange= -1
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Christian Party
votes = 6,332
percentage = 3.4%
change = +3.4
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
votes = 3,841
percentage = 2.1%
change = +2.1
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = British National Party
votes = 2,152
percentage = 1.2%
change = +1.2
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Solidarity (Scotland)
votes = 1,833
percentage = 1.0%
change = +1.0
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
votes = 1,287
percentage = 0.7%
change = -0.5
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
votes = 1,027
percentage = 0.6%
change = -0.4
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Socialist Party
votes = 973
percentage = 0.5%
change = -4.8
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = Publican Party
votes = 914
percentage = 0.5%
change = +0.5
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Christian Peoples Alliance
votes = 885
percentage = 0.5%
change = +0.5
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = Scottish Voice
votes = 450
percentage = 0.2%
change = +0.2
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Enterprise Party
votes = 211
percentage = 0.1%
change = +0.1
number = 0
numberchange= ±0
elected =

2003 Scottish Parliament 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 mermbers)
* 2 Conservative MSPs (both additional members)
* 1 Green MSP (additional member)

Constituency results

Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Argyll and Bute
MSP = George Lyon
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
MSP = Jamie Stone
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
MSP = Fergus Ewing
party = Scottish National Party Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Moray
MSP = Margaret Ewing
party = Scottish National Party Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Orkney
MSP = Jim Wallace
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Ross, Skye and Inverness West
MSP = John Farquhar Munro
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Shetland
MSP = Tavish Scott
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency electoral region with party link
constituency = Western Isles
MSP = Alasdair Morrison
party = Scottish Labour Party

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

Additional member results

Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 39,497
percentage = 23.43%
change = -4.3%
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Jim Mather
Rob Gibson Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Labour Party
votes = 37,605
percentage = 22.31%
change = -3.16
number = 2
numberchange= −1
elected = Peter Peacock
Maureen Macmillan Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 31,655
percentage = 18.78%
change = -2.65%
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 26,989
percentage = 16.01%
change = +1.07%
number = 2
numberchange= ±0
elected = Jamie McGrigor
Mary Scanlon Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Green Party
votes = 13,935
percentage = 8.27%
change = +4.52%
number = 1
numberchange= +1
elected = Eleanor Scott Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Socialist Party
votes = 9,000
percentage = 5.34%
change = +4.46%
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
votes = 1,947
percentage = 1.16%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = Robbie the Pict (Independent)
votes = 1,822
percentage = 1.08%
change = +0.51%
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Countryside Party (UK)
votes = 1,768
percentage = 1.05%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
votes = 1,617
percentage = 0.96%
change = -0.43%
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish People's Alliance
votes = 793
percentage = 0.47%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Independent (politician)
votes = 353
percentage = 0.21%
change = +0.03
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = Rural Party
votes = 177
percentage = 0.11%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= 0
elected =

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 Scottish Parliament 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 (one constituency and one additional member)

Constituency results

Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Argyll and Bute
MSP = George Lyon
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
MSP = Jamie Stone
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
MSP = Fergus Ewing
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Moray
MSP = Margaret Ewing
winner = Scottish National Party Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Orkney
MSP = Jim Wallace
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Ross, Skye and Inverness West
MSP = John Farquhar Munro
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Shetland
MSP = Tavish Scott
winner = Scottish Liberal Democrats Election box constituency new gain electoral region with party link
constituency = Western Isles
MSP = Alasdair Morrison
winner = Scottish Labour Party

Additional member results

Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish National Party
votes = 55,593
percentage = 27.73%
change = N/A
number = 2
numberchange= N/A
elected = Winnie Ewing
Duncan Hamilton Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Labour Party
votes = 51,371
percentage = 25.47%
change = N/A
number = 3
numberchange= N/A
elected = Peter Peacock
Maureen Macmillan
Rhoda Grant Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Liberal Democrats
votes = 43,226
percentage = 21.43%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Conservative Party
votes = 30,122
percentage = 14.94%
change = N/A
number = 2
numberchange= N/A
elected = Jamie McGrigor
Mary Scanlon Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Scottish Green Party
votes = 7,560
percentage = 3.75%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = I Noble (Independent)
votes = 3,522
percentage = 1.75%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
votes = 2,808
percentage = 1.39%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Highlands and Islands Alliance
votes = 2,607
percentage = 1.29%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = Scottish Socialist Party
votes = 1,770
percentage = 0.88%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region
party = Robbie the Pict (Independent)
votes = 1,151
percentage = 0.57%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Independent (politician)
votes = 712
percentage = 0.35%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Natural Law Party
votes = 536
percentage = 0.27%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected = Election box scottish candidate electoral region with party link
party = Independent (politician)
votes = 354
percentage = 0.18%
change = N/A
number = 0
numberchange= N/A
elected =

Footnotes