Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox alt
Name = Aberdeen South


Type = Burgh
Entity = Scotland
DivisionType = Council areas
Division = City of Aberdeen
Year = 1885
MP = Anne Begg
Party = Labour
EP = Scotland

Aberdeen South is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It was first used in the 1985 general election, but has undergone various boundary changes since that date.

There is also an Aberdeen South Holyrood constituency, a constituency of the Scottish Parliament [The boundaries of Holyrood constituencies remain as when the constituencies were created in 1999
"Holyrood" refers to the fact that the Scottish Parliament Building is in the Holyrood area of Edinburgh
See also "Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions"] , created in 1999 with the boundaries of the Westminster constituency of at that time.

Boundaries

Current

As redefined by the Fifth Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, and subsequently first used in the 2005 general election, [" [http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/ Boundary Commission for Scotland website] "
See also "List of UK Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland"] Aberdeen South is entirely within the Aberdeen City council area and one of five constituencies covering that council area and the Aberdeenshire council area.

To the south and west of Aberdeen South there is West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, which is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area. To the north there is Aberdeen North which, like Aberdeen South is entirely within the Aberdeen City area. Further north there is Gordon, which covers part of the Aberdeen City area and part of the Aberdeenshire area. To the north of Gordon there is Banff and Buchan which, like West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area.

Historic

1885 to 1918

From 1832 to 1885 there was a single Aberdeen constituency. Prior to 1832, the burgh of Aberdeen had been represented as a component of the Aberdeen Burghs constituency.

When Aberdeen South was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and first used in the 1885 general election, so was Aberdeen North. Aberdeen South then consisted of the municipal wards of St Nicholas, Rosemount, Rubislaw and Ferryhill, and the 9th Parliamentary Polling District. [Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889 ] The rest of the county of Aberdeen was covered by the county constituencies of Eastern Aberdeenshire and Western Aberdeenshire."Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972" (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972]

The same boundaries were used in the 1886 general election, the 1892 general election, the 1895 general election, the 1900 general election, the 1906 general election, the January 1910 general election and the December 1910 general election.

1918 to 1950

In 1918 constituency boundaries were redefined by the Representation of the People Act 1918. By then the City of Aberdeen had been created and, together with Aberdeen North, Aberdeen South became one of two constituencies covering the city (which was one of four counties of cities in Scotland) and entirely within the city. The new boundaries were first used in the 1918 general election, and Aberdeen South then consisted of the wards of Ferryhill, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and St Nicholas. The county of Aberdeen was covered by Aberdeen and Kincardine East, Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire. East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county of Aberdeen. Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire covered the county of Kincardine minus the burgh of Inverbervie, which was covered by Montrose Burghs, and part of the county of Aberdeen.

The same boundaries were used in the 1922 general elecion, the 1923 general election, the 1924 general election, the 1929 general election, the 1931 general election, the 1935 general election and the 1945 general election.

1950 to 1955

For the 1950 general election boundaries were redefined again, by the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949. A new list of wards defined Aberdeen South - Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and Torry - but the City of Aberdeen remained a two-constituency city, divided between Aberdeen South and Aberdeen North, with both constituencies entirely within the city.

The county of Aberdeen was now again divided between East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire, with both of these constituencies entirely within the county.

The same boundaries were used for the 1951 general election.

1955 to 1983

By the time of the 1955 general election, a boundary review had taken account of a small enlargement of the city area. However, the same list of wards - Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and Torry - continued to define Aberdeen South, and the same boundaries were used for the 1959 general election, the 1964 general election, the 1966 general election, the 1970 general election, the February 1974 general election and the October 1974 general election.

In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties were abolished, and the City of Aberdeen was enlarged to included areas formerly within the county of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine. Also, the city became a district within the Grampian region. The enlarged city included areas covered by the constituencies of West Aberdeenshire and North Angus and Mearns. North Angus and Mearns had been created in 1950 to cover the county of Kincardine and part of the county of Angus.

The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.

1983 to 1997

The 1983 general election, the 1987 general election and the 1992 general election took place during this period.

In 1996, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, local government regions and districts were abolished and the city became one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. Also, the name of the city became, officially, "Aberdeen City".

1997 to 2005

As redefined for the 1997 general election Aberdeen South was one of three constituencies covering and entirely within the Aberdeen City area, the other two being Aberdeen North and Aberdeen Central. Aberdeen South shared boundaries with both of the other two constituencies.

The same boundaries were used for the 2001 general election.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 1880s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = James Bryce
votes = 34,548
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = Colin McKenzie
votes = 1,455
percentage =
change =

General election, 1886 - James Bryce re-elected unopposed. [ Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889 ]

Elections in the 1890s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon James Bryce
votes = 3,513
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = James S.G. McCullagh
votes = 1,768
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Labour
candidate = Henry Hyde Champion
votes = 991
percentage =
change =

By-election, 23 August 1892 - James Bryce re-elected unopposed

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon James Bryce
votes = 3,985
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = David Stewart
votes = 3,121
percentage =
change =

Elections in the 1900s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon James Bryce
votes = 6,778
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = W.G. Black
votes = 2,334
percentage =
change =

Elections in the 1910s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Frederick Thomson
votes = 10,625
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Sir John Fleming
votes = 3,535
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = J.R. Watson
votes = 2,868
percentage =
change =

Elections in the 1930s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = Sir Douglas Thomson Bt
votes = 25,270
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = G.R. McIntosh
votes = 11,817
percentage =
change =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = Sir Frederick Charles Thomson Bt KC
votes = 33,988
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = G. Catto
votes = 6,627
percentage =
change =

Elections in the 1950s

Election box begin | title=General Election 1959: Aberdeen South [ Whitaker's Almanack 1963 ] Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Lady Tweedsmuir
votes = 25,471
percentage = 53.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Peter Doig
votes = 17,349
percentage = 36.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Ms E T Dangerfield
votes = 4,558
percentage = 9.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 8,122
percentage =
change =

Elections in the 1990s

Election box begin | title=General Election 1992: Aberdeen SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Raymond Robertson
votes = 15,808
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Frank Doran
votes = 14,291
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = J. Davidson
votes = 6,223
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Ms I. Keith
votes = 4,767
percentage =
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,517
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 69.78
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin | title=General Election 1997: Aberdeen SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Anne Begg
votes = 15,541
percentage = 35.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Nicol Stephen
votes = 12,176
percentage = 27.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Raymond Robertson
votes = 11,621
percentage = 26.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Jim Towers
votes = 4,299
percentage = 11.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Ric Wharton
votes = 425
percentage = 1.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 3,365
percentage = 7.7
change = Election box turnout
votes = 44,062
percentage =
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = 11.2%

Elections in the 2000s

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Aberdeen SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Anne Begg
votes = 14,696
percentage = 39.8
change = +4.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Ian Yuill
votes = 10,308
percentage = 27.9
change = +0.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Moray Macdonald
votes = 7,098
percentage = 19.2
change = −7.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Ian Angus
votes = 4,293
percentage = 11.6
change = +1.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish Socialist Party
candidate = David Watt
votes = 495
percentage = 1.3
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 4,388
percentage = 11.9
change = Election box turnout
votes = 36,890
percentage = 62.5
change = −10.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Anne Begg
votes = 15,272
percentage = 36.7
change = −1.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Vicki Harris
votes = 13,924
percentage = 33.5
change = +4.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Stewart Whyte
votes = 7,134
percentage = 17.1
change = −2.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Maureen Watt
votes = 4,120
percentage = 9.9
change = −2.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish Green Party
candidate = Rhonda Reekie
votes = 768
percentage = 1.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish Socialist Party
candidate = Donald Munro
votes = 403
percentage = 1.0
change = −0.4Election box majority
votes = 1,348
percentage = 3.2
change = Election box turnout
votes = 41,621
percentage = 62.1
change = +2.4Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = −3.1

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Anne Begg
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Matt Duncan
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Mark Jones
votes =
percentage =
change =

Notes and references