Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

Highlands and Islands
electoral region for the Scottish Parliament
Highlands and Islands shown within Scotland
Current electoral region
Created	1999
MSPs	Scottish National Party 7 Conservative 3 Liberal Democrats 2 Labour 2 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 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 the West Scotland electoral regions.

The most high-profile MSP for the region has been Winnie Ewing, the matriarch of the Ewing political family.

Constituencies and council areas

2011–

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. They covered all of four council areas, 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.

Members of the Scottish Parliament

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)

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)		Maureen Macmillan (Labour)		Rhoda Grant (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)		David Stewart (Labour)		Rhoda Grant (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)

Election results

2016 Scottish Parliament 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2016: 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2016: Highlands and Islands
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	Maree Todd	1	-2	81,600	39.7%	-7.8%
	Conservative	Douglas Ross Edward Mountain Donald Cameron	3	+1	44,693	21.8%	+10.1%
	Liberal Democrats		0	±0	27,223	13.3%	+1.2%
	Labour	Rhoda Grant David Stewart	2	±0	22,894	11.2%	-3.3%
	Scottish Green	John Finnie	1	+1	14,781	7.2%	+2.1%
	UK Independence Party		0	0	5,344	2.6%	+0.7%
	Independent		0	0	3,689	1.8%	+1.8%
	Scottish Christian		0	0	3,407	1.7%	-0.3%
	RISE		0	0	889	0.4%	+0.4%
	Solidarity		0	0	793	0.4%	+0.3%

2011 Scottish Parliament election

In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2011: 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2011: 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%
	UK Independence Party		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 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2007: 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2007: 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%	+2.1
	BNP		0	±0	2,152	1.2%	+1.2
	Solidarity		0	±0	1,833	1.0%	+1.0
	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%	+0.5
	Christian Peoples		0	±0	885	0.5%	+0.5
	Scottish Voice		0	±0	450	0.2%	+0.2
	Scottish Enterprise		0	±0	211	0.1%	+0.1

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

Scottish Parliament election, 2003: 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

Scottish Parliament election, 2003: 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 Party		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 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 (both additional members)

Constituency results

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

Additional member results

Scottish Parliament election, 1999: 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 Party		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