Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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)
Current constituency
Created	1999
Party	Scottish National Party
MSP	Jenni Minto
Council area	Argyll and Bute

Argyll and Bute (in Gaelic: Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd) is an area in Scotland that chooses one person to represent it in the Scottish Parliament. This special area is called a constituency. The Scottish Parliament is also known as Holyrood.

The person chosen to represent Argyll and Bute is called a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP). They are elected using a system called "first past the post". This means the candidate with the most votes wins.

Argyll and Bute is also part of a larger area called the Highlands and Islands electoral region. This region has eight constituencies, and it also elects seven extra MSPs. This helps make sure all votes count fairly, using a system called proportional representation.

Since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Jenni Minto from the Scottish National Party has been the MSP for Argyll and Bute.

What is the Highlands and Islands Electoral Region?

The Argyll and Bute constituency is part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region. This region includes seven other constituencies:

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

This large region covers most of the Argyll and Bute council area. It also includes all of the Highland, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, and Na h-Eileanan Siar council areas. Most of the Moray council area is also part of it.

Where are the Borders of Argyll and Bute?

The Argyll and Bute constituency was created in 1999. Its borders were the same as an existing Westminster constituency. A Westminster constituency is for the UK Parliament in London.

In 2005, the Westminster constituency became a bit larger. However, the Holyrood (Scottish Parliament) constituency still covers most of the Argyll and Bute council area.

A small part of the council area, including the town of Helensburgh, is in a different constituency. That part is covered by the Dumbarton constituency. This area belongs to the West Scotland electoral region.

Since the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the borders of the Argyll and Bute constituency changed slightly. Most of the local areas, called electoral wards, are part of this constituency. These include:

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

In 2019, Argyll and Bute had about 60,394 people living there. This was the smallest population among the 70 constituencies on the Scottish mainland.

Who Has Represented Argyll and Bute?

Here are the people who have been the MSP for Argyll and Bute:

Images for kids

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  Argyll & Bute election results 1999-2021