West Fife (UK Parliament constituency)

UK former constituency infobox
Name = West Fife
Type = County
Year = 1885
Abolition = 1974
members = one

West Fife was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1974. It is famous for providing the Communist Party Of Great Britain with its longest serving Member of Parliament. Along with East Fife, it was formed by dividing the old Fife constituency.

Boundaries

The constituency contained:
*the burghs of Culross, Leslie and Markinch
*the Districts of Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and Lochgelly
*part of the District of Wemyss the remainder being in East Fife

From 1918 it consisted of "The Dunfermline County District, inclusive of all burghs situated therein except in so far as included in the Dunfermline District of Burghs, together with so much of the Kirkcaldy County District, inclusive of all burghs situated therein, as is included neither in the Eastern Division nor in the Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy Districts of Burghs."

For later changes see:
*the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats)(Scotland)(West Fife and Kirkcaldy Burghs) Order 1953; and
*the Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) (West Fife and Dunfermline Burghs) Order, 1960

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 1970s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1970: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 29,929
percentage = 61.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = G. McLaughlan
votes = 12,837
percentage = 26.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = J. Halliday
votes = 5,386
percentage = 11.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = A. D. MacMillan
votes = 855
percentage = 1.7
change = Election box majority
votes = 17,092
percentage = 34.9
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.2
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1960s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1966: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 27,123
percentage = 63.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J. B. M. Gall
votes = 8,300
percentage = 19.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = R. R. Patrick
votes = 6,046
percentage = 14.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = A. D. MacMillan
votes = 1,542
percentage = 3.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 18,823
percentage = 43.8
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 76.8
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1964: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 28,806
percentage = 65.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J. B. M. Gall
votes = 11,880
percentage = 27.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Lauchlan
votes = 3,273
percentage = 7.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 16,926
percentage = 38.5
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 78.6
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1950s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1959: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 25,554
percentage = 56.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Alick Buchanan-Smith
votes = 11,257
percentage = 24.7
change = Election box candidate
party = Fife Socialist League
candidate = Lawrence Daly
votes = 4,886
percentage = 10.7
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Lauchlan
votes = 3,828
percentage = 8.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 14,297
percentage = 31.4
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 81.3
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1955: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 26,849
percentage = 62.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Norman Wylie
votes = 10,638
percentage = 24.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Lauchlan
votes = 5,389
percentage = 12.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 16,211
percentage = 37.8
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 80.3
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1951: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 29,195
percentage = 64.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = National Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = J. P. Fyfe
votes = 11,038
percentage = 24.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Lauchlan
votes = 4,728
percentage = 10.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 18,157
percentage = 40.4
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 85.6
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1950: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 23,576
percentage = 54.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = National Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = P. W. N. Fraser
votes = 10,131
percentage = 23.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Gallacher
votes = 9,301
percentage = 21.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 13,445
percentage = 31.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 84.9
change =Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Communist Party of Great Britain
swing =

Elections in the 1940s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1945: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Gallacher
votes = 17,636
percentage = 42.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Willie Hamilton
votes = 15,580
percentage = 37.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = National Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = R. S. Stevenson
votes = 8,597
percentage = 20.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,056
percentage = 4.8
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 75.4
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Communist Party of Great Britain
swing =

Elections in the 1930s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1935: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Gallacher
votes = 13,462
percentage = 37.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 12,869
percentage = 35.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Charles Black Milne
votes = 9,667
percentage = 26.9
change = Election box majority
votes = 593
percentage = 1.7
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 77.8
change =Election box gain with party link
winner = Communist Party of Great Britain
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1931: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Charles Black Milne
votes = 12,997
percentage = 42.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 11,063
percentage = 35.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Gallacher
votes = 6,829
percentage = 22.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,914
percentage = 6.3
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 71.4
change =Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1920s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1929: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 17,668
percentage = 60.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = William Gallacher
votes = 6,040
percentage = 20.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = A B Brown
votes = 5,727
percentage = 19.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 11,628
percentage = 39.5
change = Election box turnout
votes = 29,435
percentage = 69.7
change = +6.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1924: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 14,685
percentage = 70.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J MacRobert
votes = 6,015
percentage = 29.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 8,670
percentage = 41.8
change = Election box turnout
votes = 20,700
percentage = 63.0
change = +5.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1923: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 12,204
percentage = 65.4
change = Election box candidate
party = Independent Labour
candidate = P Hodge
votes = 6,459
percentage = 34.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 5,745
percentage = 30.8
change = Election box turnout
votes = 18,663
percentage = 57.4
change = +9.2Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

;General election of 1922In the 1922 UK general election, William Adamson was elected unopposed.

Elections in the 1910s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1918: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 10,664
percentage = 72.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Coalition Conservative
candidate = J H Menzies
votes = 4,020
percentage = 27.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 6,644
percentage = 45.2
change = Election box turnout
votes = 14,684
percentage = 48.2
change = -13.2Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election December 1910: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 6,128
percentage = 53.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Deans Hope
votes = 5,425
percentage = 47.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 703
percentage = 6.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 11,553
percentage = 61.4
change = -11.7Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election January 1910: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Deans Hope
votes = 6,159
percentage = 47.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = William Adamson
votes = 4,736
percentage = 37.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = G W Ralston
votes = 1,994
percentage = 15.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,423
percentage = 11.1
change = Election box turnout
votes = 12,889
percentage = 73.1
change = +17.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1900s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1906: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Deans Hope
votes = 6,692
percentage = 79.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Nelson B Constable WS
votes = 1,776
percentage = 21.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,916
percentage = 58.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 8,468
percentage = 55.4
change = -4.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1900: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Deans Hope
votes = 4,352
percentage = 64.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = G W Ralston
votes = 2,374
percentage = 35.3
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,978
percentage = 29.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 6,726
percentage = 60.0
change = -12.2Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1890s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1895: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Augustine Birrell
votes = 4,719
percentage = 61.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist
candidate = R G E Wemyss
votes = 2,965
percentage = 38.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,754
percentage = 22.8
change = Election box turnout
votes = 7,684
percentage = 72.2
change = +2.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1892: Fife WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Augustine Birrell
votes = 5,215
percentage = 76.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist
candidate = R Yellowlees
votes = 1,633
percentage = 23.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 3,582
percentage = 52.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 6,848
percentage = 69.9
change = -1.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1880s

Election box begin
title=Fife West by-election, 1889Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Augustine Birrell
votes = 3,551
percentage = 56.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist
candidate = R G E Wemyss
votes = 2,758
percentage = 43.7
change = Election box majority
votes = 793
percentage = 12.6
change = Election box turnout
votes = 6,309
percentage = 71.6
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing =

;General election of 1886In the 1886 UK general election, Robert Preston Bruce was elected unopposed.

;General election of 1885In the 1885 UK general election, Robert Preston Bruce was elected unopposed.

See also

ources

* [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/edates.htm Election results, 1950 - 1974]
*F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918 - 1949"
*F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1885 - 1918"