Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency)

Scottish Parliament constituency

Not to be confused with Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency).

Argyll and Bute

County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament

Argyll and Bute shown within the Highlands and Islands electoral region and the region shown within Scotland

Population| 60,394 (2019)[1]
Current constituency
Created| 1999
Party| Scottish National Party
MSP| Jenni Minto
Council area| Argyll and Bute

Argyll and Bute (Gaelic: Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd) is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering most of the council area of Argyll and Bute. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

The seat has been held by Jenni Minto of the Scottish National Party since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

## Electoral region

[edit]

See also: Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

The Argyll and Bute constituency is part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region; the other seven constituencies are Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Inverness and Nairn, Moray, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney, Shetland and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

The region covers most of Argyll and Bute council area, all of the Highland council area, most of the Moray council area, all of the Orkney Islands council area, all of the Shetland Islands council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.

## Constituency boundaries and council area

[edit]

The Argyll and Bute constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, with the name and boundaries of an existing Westminster constituency. In 2005, however, the Westminster (House of Commons) constituency was enlarged slightly.[2]

The Holyrood constituency covers most of the Argyll and Bute council area. The rest of the council area (which includes the town of Helensburgh) is covered by the Dumbarton constituency in the West Scotland electoral region. The Argyll and Bute Westminster constituency has covered the whole of the council area since 2005.

From the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, boundary changes altered the existing Argyll and Bute constituency. All but three electoral wards of the Argyll and Bute council area were used in the creation of the new seat, namely:

* Cowal, Dunoon, Isle of Bute, Kintyre and the Islands, Mid Argyll, Oban North and Lorn, Oban South and the Isles, South Kintyre.

As of 2019, Argyll and Bute's population (60,394) was the lowest among the 70 Holyrood mainland constituencies, barely two-thirds of the total of those at the top of the list, headed by Linlithgow which had over 95,000 within its boundaries.[1]

## Member of the Scottish Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1999 | George Lyon | Liberal Democrats
| 2007 | Jim Mather | Scottish National Party
2011 | Michael Russell
2021 | Jenni Minto

## Election results

[edit]

Argyll & Bute election results 1999-2021

### 2020s

[edit]

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Argyll and Bute[3] Party  | Candidate  | Constituency  | Regional

|
|
|

Votes  | %  | ±% | Votes  | %  | ±%
| SNP | Jenni Minto | 16,608 | 49.5 | 3.5 | 13,966 | 41.5 | 0.2
| Conservative | Donald Cameron[a][b] | 7,645  | 22.8  | 3.0  | 8,563  | 25.5  | 1.3
| Liberal Democrats | Alan Reid | 6,874  | 20.5  | 5.2  | 3,659  | 10.9  | 2.1
| Labour | Lewis Whyte  | 2,436  | 7.3  | 1.2  | 2,829  | 8.4  | 0.9
| Scottish Green | 2,661  | 7.9  | 0.4
| Alba | 589  | 1.8  | New
| Independent | Andy Wightman[c] | 423  | 1.3  | New
| All for Unity | 290  | 0.9  | New
| Scottish Family | 189  | 0.6  | New
| Abolish the Scottish Parliament | 113  | 0.3  | New
| Freedom Alliance (UK)  | 67  | 0.2  | New
| Reform UK | 63  | 0.2  | New
| Scottish Libertarian | 60  | 0.2  | New
| UKIP | 59  | 0.2  | 2.1
| Restore Scotland | 36  | 0.1  | New
| TUSC | 32  | 0.1  | New
| Independent | Hazel Mansfield  | 29  | 0.1  | New
Majority  | 8,963  | 26.7  | 6.4  |
Valid Votes  | 33,563  |  | 33,628  |
Invalid Votes  | 165  |  | 84  |
Turnout | 33,728  | 67.8  | 6.8  | 33,712  | 67.8  | 6.8
| SNP hold | Swing | 0.3  |

Notes

1. ^ Incumbent member on the party list
2. ^ Re-elected via list
3. ^ Incumbent member on the list for Lothian region, having been elected as a member of the Scottish Greens in 2016

### 2010s

[edit]

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Argyll and Bute[4][5] Party  | Candidate  | Constituency  | Regional

|
|
|

Votes  | %  | ±% | Votes  | %  | ±%
| SNP | Michael Russell[a] | 13,561 | 46.0 | 4.6 | 12,327 | 41.7 | 7.8
| Liberal Democrats | Alan Reid | 7,583  | 25.7  | 13.5  | 3,856  | 13.0  | 4.9
| Conservative | Donald Cameron | 5,840  | 19.8  | 1.5  | 7,151  | 24.2  | 8.6
| Labour | Mick Rice  | 2,492  | 8.5  | 6.8  | 2,739  | 9.3  | 5.0
| Scottish Green | 2,213  | 7.5  | 2.6
| UKIP | 679  | 2.3  | 0.9
| Scottish Christian | 193  | 0.7  | 0.2
| Solidarity | 162  | 0.5  | 0.3
| Independent | James Stockan  | 153  | 0.5  | New
| RISE | 86  | 0.3  | New
Majority  | 5,978  | 20.3  | 12.0  |
Valid Votes  | 29,476  |  | 29,559  |
Invalid Votes  | 116  |  | 36  |
Turnout | 29,592  | 61.0  | 6.6  | 29,295  | 61.0  | 6.5
| SNP hold | Swing | 9.1  |

Notes

1. ^ Incumbent member for this constituency

2011 Scottish Parliament election: Argyll and Bute[6][7] Party  | Candidate  | Constituency  | Regional

|
|
|

Votes  | %  | ±% | Votes  | %  | ±%
| SNP | Michael Russell[a] | 13,390 | 50.6 | N/A | 13,172 | 49.5 | N/A
| Conservative | Jamie McGrigor[a] | 4,847  | 18.3  | N/A | 4,156  | 15.6  | N/A
| Labour | Mick Rice  | 4,041  | 15.3  | N/A | 3,804  | 14.3  | N/A
| Liberal Democrats | Alison Hay  | 3,220  | 12.2  | N/A | 2,155  | 8.1  | N/A
| Scottish Green | 1,304  | 4.9  | N/A
| Independent | George Doyle  | 542  | 2.0  | N/A |
| All-Scotland Pensioners Party | 436  | 1.6  | N/A
| UKIP | 362  | 1.4  | N/A
| Liberal | George White  | 436  | 1.6  | N/A | 247  | 0.9  | N/A
| Scottish Christian | 231  | 0.9  | N/A
| Socialist Labour | 204  | 0.8  | N/A
| Ban Bankers Bonuses  | 198  | 0.7  | N/A
| BNP | 183  | 0.9  | N/A
| Scottish Socialist | 95  | 0.4  | N/A
| Solidarity | 50  | 0.2  | N/A
Majority  | 8,543  | 32.3  | N/A |
Valid Votes  | 26,476  |  | 26,597  |
Invalid Votes  | 120  |  | 61  |
Turnout | 26,596  | 54.4  | N/A | 26,658  | 54.5  | N/A
| SNP win (new boundaries)

Notes

1. ^ a b Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

### 2000s

[edit]

2007 Scottish Parliament election: Argyll and Bute  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| SNP | Jim Mather | 9,944  | 34.5  | +14.9
| Liberal Democrats | George Lyon | 9,129  | 31.7  | −3.4
| Conservative | Jamie McGrigor | 5,571  | 19.4  | −0.7
| Labour | Mary Galbraith  | 4,148  | 14.4  | −3.9
Majority | 815  | 2.8  | N/A
Turnout | 28,792  | 58.9  | +1.1
| SNP gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +9.2  |
2003 Scottish Parliament election: Argyll and Bute  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal Democrats | George Lyon | 9,817  | 35.1  | +0.2
| Conservative | Dave Petrie | 5,621  | 20.1  | +3.6
| SNP | Jim Mather  | 5,485  | 19.6  | −8.9
| Labour | Hugh Raven  | 5,107  | 18.3  | −1.8
| Scottish Socialist | Des Divers  | 1,667  | 5.9  | New
| Scottish People's | David Walker  | 251  | 0.9  | New
Majority | 4,196  | 15.0  | +8.6
Turnout | 27,948  | 57.8  | −7.0
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing |  |

### 1990s

[edit]

1999 Scottish Parliament election: Argyll and Bute  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Liberal Democrats | George Lyon | 11,226  | 34.9
| SNP | Duncan Hamilton | 9,169  | 28.5
| Labour | Hugh Raven  | 6,470  | 20.1
| Conservative | David Petrie  | 5,312  | 16.5
Majority  | 2,057  | 6.4
Turnout | 32,177  | 64.8
| Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

## Footnotes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC) Population Estimates (2011 Data Zone based), National Records of Scotland; retrieved 6 May 2021 (accompanying summary notes)
2. ^ See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland Archived 21 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ "Scottish Parliamentary Election 6 May 2021 - Results". Argyll and Bute Council. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
4. ^ "Declaration of Constituency Result" (PDF). Argyll and Bute Council. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
5. ^ "Declaration of Regional Result" (PDF). Argyll and Bute Council. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
6. ^ "Result of Scottish Parliament election - Highlands and Islands region". Argyll and Bute Council. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
7. ^ "Result of election to Scottish Parliament". Argyll and Bute Council. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* "Argyll and Bute constituency map" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 7 July 2021.

* v
* t
* e

« 1999-2011 « Electoral regions and constituencies of the Scottish Parliament (2011-2026)  » 2026- »

Central Scotland|

* Airdrie and Shotts
* Coatbridge and Chryston
* Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
* East Kilbride
* Falkirk East
* Falkirk West
* Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse
* Motherwell and Wishaw
* Uddingston and Bellshill

Glasgow|

* Glasgow Anniesland
* Glasgow Cathcart
* Glasgow Kelvin
* Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn
* Glasgow Pollok
* Glasgow Provan
* Glasgow Shettleston
* Glasgow Southside
* Rutherglen

Highlands and Islands|

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

Lothian|

* Almond Valley
* Edinburgh Central
* Edinburgh Eastern
* Edinburgh Northern and Leith
* Edinburgh Pentlands
* Edinburgh Southern
* Edinburgh Western
* Linlithgow
* Midlothian North and Musselburgh

Mid Scotland and Fife|

* Clackmannanshire and Dunblane
* Cowdenbeath
* Dunfermline
* Kirkcaldy
* Mid Fife and Glenrothes
* North East Fife
* Perthshire North
* Perthshire South and Kinross-shire
* Stirling

North East Scotland|

* Aberdeen Central
* Aberdeen Donside
* Aberdeen South and North Kincardine
* Aberdeenshire East
* Aberdeenshire West
* Angus North and Mearns
* Angus South
* Banffshire and Buchan Coast
* Dundee City East
* Dundee City West

South Scotland|

* Ayr
* Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
* Clydesdale
* Dumfriesshire
* East Lothian
* Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
* Galloway and West Dumfries
* Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley
* Midlothian South, Tweeddale, and Lauderdale

West Scotland|

* Clydebank and Milngavie
* Cunninghame North
* Cunninghame South
* Dumbarton
* Eastwood
* Greenock and Inverclyde
* Paisley
* Renfrewshire North and West
* Renfrewshire South
* Strathkelvin and Bearsden

* v
* t
* e

Electoral regions and constituencies of the Scottish Parliament (1999-2011) » 2011- »

Central Scotland|

* Airdrie and Shotts
* Coatbridge and Chryston
* Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
* East Kilbride
* Falkirk East
* Falkirk West
* Hamilton North and Bellshill
* Hamilton South
* Kilmarnock and Loudoun
* Motherwell and Wishaw

Glasgow|

* Glasgow Anniesland
* Glasgow Baillieston
* Glasgow Cathcart
* Glasgow Govan
* Glasgow Kelvin
* Glasgow Maryhill
* Glasgow Pollok
* Glasgow Rutherglen
* Glasgow Shettleston
* Glasgow Springburn

Highlands and Islands|

* Argyll and Bute
* Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
* Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
* Moray
* Na h-Eileanan an Iar
* Orkney
* Ross, Skye and Inverness West
* Shetland

Lothians|

* Edinburgh Central
* Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
* Edinburgh North and Leith
* Edinburgh Pentlands
* Edinburgh South
* Edinburgh West
* Linlithgow
* Livingston
* Midlothian

Mid Scotland and Fife|

* Central Fife
* Dunfermline East
* Dunfermline West
* Kirkcaldy
* North East Fife
* North Tayside
* Ochil
* Perth
* Stirling

North East Scotland|

* Aberdeen Central
* Aberdeen North
* Aberdeen South
* Angus
* Banff and Buchan
* Dundee East
* Dundee West
* Gordon
* West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

South of Scotland|

* Ayr
* Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
* Clydesdale
* Cunninghame South
* Dumfries
* East Lothian
* Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
* Roxburgh and Berwickshire
* Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

West of Scotland|

* Clydebank and Milngavie
* Cunninghame North
* Dumbarton
* Eastwood
* Greenock and Inverclyde
* Paisley North
* Paisley South
* Strathkelvin and Bearsden
* West Renfrewshire

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template