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Dumfries and Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Dumfries and Galloway is a county constituency of in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It was first used in the 2005 general election
, and replaced Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
and part of Dumfries
, and it elects one Member of Parliament
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
As created by the Fifth Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland the constituency is one of six covering the Dumfries and Galloway council area, the Scottish Borders council area and the South Lanarkshire council area. The other five constituencies are: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
, Lanark and Hamilton East
and Rutherglen and Hamilton West
.
The Dumfries and Galloway constituency covers part of the Dumfries and Galloway council area. The rest of the council area is covered by the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency, which also covers part of the Scottish Borders council area and part of the South Lanarkshire council area.
The Dumfries and Galloway constituency includes Stranraer
, Newton Stewart
, The Machars, Kirkcudbright
and a major part of the town of Dumfries
. Although within the town of Dumfries, the Nithsdale East and Caerlaverock wards, as they were when the constituency was created, were excluded from the constituency. Ward boundaries changed in 2007.
(1983-2005) and Galloway
(1918-83), had been represented by Conservative
MPs in all but 2 parliaments since 1931. It was won by the Scottish National Party
(SNP) in 1997, however became the only Scottish seat to return a Conservative MP at the 2001 General Election.
Boundary changes for the 2005 election saw the new seat have a very slim Labour
majority over the Conservatives, and the SNP were in close third place. Russell Brown
was the Labour candidate, who had been the MP for the neighbouring seat of Dumfriesshire
since 1997, and Peter Duncan, the sitting MP for Galloway & Upper Nithsdale, stood as the Conservative candidate. Although the seat was the Conservatives' 2nd target seat across Britain, Labour increased it's vote share and Russell Brown was elected as the constituency's MP.
In 2010, Duncan attempted once again to become Dumfries & Galloway's MP however the election produced a swing against the Conservatives in the seat, and it was held by Labour. As of the last election, the seat has became a relatively safe Labour seat, with a majority of over 7,000 above the Conservatives. The SNP's share of the vote in the constituency collapsed at the 2005 general election, and remained static in 2010.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It was first used in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, and replaced Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale was a county constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
and part of Dumfries
Dumfriesshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumfriesshire was a county constituency represented in the of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 2005. It was known as Dumfries from 1950...
, and it elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Boundaries
| Council areas grouped by the Fifth Review |
 |
| Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973... , Scottish Borders Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland... and South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages.... |
As created by the Fifth Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland the constituency is one of six covering the Dumfries and Galloway council area, the Scottish Borders council area and the South Lanarkshire council area. The other five constituencies are: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (UK Parliament constituency)
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the south of Scotland within the Scottish Borders council area...
, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the south of Scotland, within the Dumfries and Galloway, South Lanarkshire and Scottish Borders council areas...
, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (UK Parliament constituency)
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used in the general election of 2005...
, Lanark and Hamilton East
Lanark and Hamilton East (UK Parliament constituency)
Lanark and Hamilton East is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used in the general election of 2005...
and Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Rutherglen and Hamilton West (UK Parliament constituency)
Rutherglen and Hamilton West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used in the general election of 2005...
.
The Dumfries and Galloway constituency covers part of the Dumfries and Galloway council area. The rest of the council area is covered by the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency, which also covers part of the Scottish Borders council area and part of the South Lanarkshire council area.
The Dumfries and Galloway constituency includes Stranraer
Stranraer
Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
, Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart is a burgh town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire....
, The Machars, Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...
and a major part of the town of Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
. Although within the town of Dumfries, the Nithsdale East and Caerlaverock wards, as they were when the constituency was created, were excluded from the constituency. Ward boundaries changed in 2007.
Politics
Dumfries & Galloway's predecessor seats, Galloway & Upper NithsdaleGalloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale was a county constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
(1983-2005) and Galloway
Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway was a county constituency in the Galloway area of Scotland. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system....
(1918-83), had been represented by Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MPs in all but 2 parliaments since 1931. It was won by the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) in 1997, however became the only Scottish seat to return a Conservative MP at the 2001 General Election.
Boundary changes for the 2005 election saw the new seat have a very slim Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
majority over the Conservatives, and the SNP were in close third place. Russell Brown
Russell Brown
Russell Leslie Brown is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He is Member of Parliament for Dumfries and Galloway.-Early years :Russell Brown was born in Annan, Scotland, and attended the local Annan Academy...
was the Labour candidate, who had been the MP for the neighbouring seat of Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumfriesshire was a county constituency represented in the of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 2005. It was known as Dumfries from 1950...
since 1997, and Peter Duncan, the sitting MP for Galloway & Upper Nithsdale, stood as the Conservative candidate. Although the seat was the Conservatives' 2nd target seat across Britain, Labour increased it's vote share and Russell Brown was elected as the constituency's MP.
In 2010, Duncan attempted once again to become Dumfries & Galloway's MP however the election produced a swing against the Conservatives in the seat, and it was held by Labour. As of the last election, the seat has became a relatively safe Labour seat, with a majority of over 7,000 above the Conservatives. The SNP's share of the vote in the constituency collapsed at the 2005 general election, and remained static in 2010.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
Russell Brown Russell Brown Russell Leslie Brown is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He is Member of Parliament for Dumfries and Galloway.-Early years :Russell Brown was born in Annan, Scotland, and attended the local Annan Academy... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
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