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List of Great Britain and UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland from 1707 facts for kids

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Scotland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain on 1 May 1707, following the Acts of Union 1707. Later, on 1 January 1801, it became part of the United Kingdom.

When the Union happened in 1707, Scotland was given 45 spots in the House of Commons of the Westminster Parliament. This is where laws are made for the whole country.

Before the Union, a Scottish law decided how areas would be set up for elections to the new Parliament of Great Britain. Special rules were made for choosing the first Members of Parliament (MPs) for the 1st Parliament of Great Britain. In 1707, members from the old Parliament of Scotland were chosen to serve in this first Parliament. You can find more details about this in Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain.

How Many MPs Did Scotland Have?

This table shows how the number of areas (called constituencies) and Members of Parliament (MPs) for Scotland changed over time.

  • BC means Burgh constituencies (towns).
  • CC means County constituencies (countryside areas).
  • UC means University constituencies (representing universities).
  • Total C is the total number of constituencies.
  • BMP means Burgh Members of Parliament.
  • CMP means County Members of Parliament.
  • UMP means University Members of Parliament.
Period BC CC UC Total C BMP CMP UMP Total MPs
1707–1708 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 45
1708–1832 15 30 0 45 15 30 0 45
1832–1868 21 30 0 51 23 30 0 53
1868–1885 22 32 2 56 26 32 2 60
1885–1918 30 39 2 71 31 39 2 72
1918–1950 32 38 1 71 33 38 3 74
1950–1974 32 39 0 71 32 39 0 71
1974–1983 29 42 0 71 29 42 0 71
1983–1997 29 43 0 72 29 43 0 72
1997–2005 28 44 0 72 28 44 0 72
2005-current 19 40 0 59 19 40 0 59

Who Represented Scotland?

Over the years, different political parties have had MPs representing Scotland in the UK Parliament. Here's a look at how this has changed in some parts of Scotland. A cell marked → (with a different colour background) means the same MP continued to serve, but their party name changed.

Highland Area MPs

This area includes places like Orkney, Shetland, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross-shire, Cromartyshire, and Inverness-shire. After 1996, it included the modern areas of Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), Shetland Islands, and Orkney Islands.

From 1832 to 1885

      Conservative       Tories       Whig

Constituency 1832 33 34 1835 35 1837 38 40 1841 1847 1852 1857
Orkney & Shetland Traill Balfour Dundas Anderson F. Dundas
Caithness G. Sinclair Traill
Wick Burghs J. Loch Laing Hay
Sutherland Macleod Howard D. Dundas G. Sutherland-Leveson-Gower
Ross & Cromarty Stewart-Mackenzie Mackenzie J. Matheson
Inverness Burghs J. Baillie Cumming Bruce → Macleod Morrison A. Matheson
Inverness-shire C. Grant Chisholm F. Grant Baillie

From 1983 to Today

      Independent       Labour       Liberal       Liberal Democrats       Scottish National Party       Social Democratic

Constituency 1983 1987 88 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019 23
Orkney and Shetland Wallace → Carmichael
Caithness and Sutherland / Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (1997) Maclennan → Thurso Monaghan Stone
Inverness, Nairn & Lochaber / Inv East, Nairn & Lochaber (1997) / Inv, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey (2005) Johnston → Stewart Alexander Hendry
Ross, Cromarty and Skye / Ross, Skye and Inverness West (1997) / Ross, Skye and Lochaber (2005) Kennedy → Blackford
Western Isles / Na h-Eileanan an Iar (2005) Stewart MacDonald MacNeil →

Grampian Area MPs

This region includes places like Elginshire, Nairnshire, Banffshire, Aberdeenshire, and Kincardineshire. After 1996, it included Aberdeenshire, City of Aberdeen, and Moray.

From 1983 to Today

      Conservative       Labour       Liberal       Liberal Democrats       Scottish National Party

Constituency 1983 1987 88 91 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019
Aberdeen Central Doran
Aberdeen North R. Hughes Savidge Doran Blackman
Aberdeen South Malone Doran Robertson Begg McCaig R. Thomson Flynn
Gordon Bruce → Salmond Clark R. G. Thomson
Kincardine and Deeside / W Aberdeenshire & K (1997) Buchanan-Smith Stephen Kynoch Smith Donaldson Bowie
Banff and Buchan McQuarrie Salmond Whiteford Duguid
Moray Pollock M. Ewing Robertson Ross

Central and Tayside Area MPs

This area included places like Forfarshire, Perthshire, Clackmannanshire, Kinross-shire, and Stirlingshire. After 1996, it included Falkirk, Perth and Kinross, City of Dundee, Angus, Stirling, and Clackmannanshire.

From 1983 to Today

      Conservative       Independent       Labour       Scottish National Party

Constituency 1983 1987 1992 95 1997 00 2001 2005 2010 12 2015 2017 2019
Falkirk East Ewing Connarty
Dundee West Ross McGovern Law
Falkirk West / Falkirk (2005) Canavan Joyce → McNally
Dundee East Wilson McAllion Luke Hosie
North Tayside / Perth and North Perthshire (2005) Walker Swinney Wishart
Angus East / Angus (1997) Fraser Welsh Weir Hair Doogan
Stirling Forsyth McGuire Paterson Kerr Smith
Clackmannan / Ochil (1997) / Ochil & S Perthshire (2005) O'Neill Banks Ahmed-Sheikh Graham Nicolson
Perth and Kinross / Perth (1997) Fairbairn Cunningham Ewing

Fife Area MPs

This area included Fife, Anstruther Easter Burghs, and Dysart Burghs.

From 1974 to Today

      Alba       Conservative       Independent       Labour       Liberal Democrats       Liberal       Scottish National Party

Constituency Feb 1974 Oct 1974 1979 1983 1987 88 90 1992 1997 2001 2005 06 08 2010 2015 2017 2019 19 20 21
Dunfermline East Brown
Dunfermline / Dunfermline W (1983) / Dunf & W Fife (2005) Hunter Douglas → Squire Rennie Docherty Chapman
Fife Central / Glenrothes (2005) Hamilton McLeish MacDougall Roy Grant
Kirkcaldy / Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (2005) Gourlay Moonie Brown Mullin Laird Hanvey → → →
Fife East / North East Fife (1983) Gilmour Henderson Campbell → Gethins Chamberlain

Strathclyde Area MPs

This large area included Argyllshire, Buteshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, and Lanarkshire. After 1996, it included City of Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute, and Inverclyde.

From 2005 to Today

      Conservative       Independent       Labour       Liberal Democrats       Scottish National Party       Speaker

Constituency 2005 08 09 2010 11 2015 15 2017 2019 20 21 23
East Renfrewshire Murphy Oswald Masterton Oswald
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Osborne Wilson Grant Dorans
Airdrie and Shotts J. Reid Nash Gray Qaisar
Lanark and Hamilton East Hood Crawley
Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill Clarke Boswell Gaffney Bonnar
Rutherglen and Hamilton West McAvoy Greatrex Ferrier Killen Ferrier → Shanks
Glasgow North East Martin Bain McLaughlin Sweeney McLaughlin
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East McKenna McClymont S. C. McDonald
Central Ayrshire Donohoe Whitford
West Dunbartonshire McFall Doyle Docherty
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow Ingram McCann Cameron →
Glasgow North West J. Robertson Monaghan
Glasgow East Marshall Mason Curran McGarry → Linden
Glasgow South Harris S. M. McDonald
Glasgow Central M. Sarwar A. Sarwar Thewliss
Glasgow North McKechin Grady
Glasgow South West Davidson Stephens
Inverclyde Cairns McKenzie Cowan
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Browne Jamieson A. Brown
Motherwell and Wishaw Roy Fellows
Paisley and Renfrewshire North Sheridan Newlands
Paisley and Renfrewshire South Alexander Black
North Ayrshire and Arran Clark Gibson
Argyll and Bute A. Reid O'Hara
East Dunbartonshire Swinson Nicolson Swinson Callaghan

Lothian Area MPs

This area included Linlithgowshire, Edinburghshire, and Haddingtonshire. After 1996, it included City of Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian, and Midlothian.

From 1983 to Today

      Alba       Conservative       Independent       Labour       Liberal Democrats       Scottish National Party

Constituency 1983 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 05 2010 2015 15 2017 2019 21
Linlithgow / Linlithgow & E Falkirk (2005-) Dalyell Connarty Day
Edinburgh E (1983–97, 2005-) / & Musselburgh (1997-2005) Strang Gilmore Sheppard
Edinburgh Leith / Edinburgh North and Leith (1997) Brown Chisholm Lazarowicz Brock
Livingston Cook Devine Morrice Bardell
Edinburgh Pentlands / Edinburgh SW (2005) Rifkind Clark Darling Cherry
Midlothian Eadie Clarke Hamilton Thompson Rowley Thompson
East Lothian Robertson Picking O'Donnell Kerevan Whitfield MacAskill →
Edinburgh West Douglas-Hamilton Gorrie Barrett Crockart Thomson → Jardine
Edinburgh South Ancram Griffiths Murray
Edinburgh Central Fletcher Darling

Dumfries and Galloway and Borders Area MPs

This area included Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire, Roxburghshire, and Berwickshire. After 1996, it included Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders.

From 1983 to Today

      Conservative       Labour       Liberal       Liberal Democrats       Scottish National Party

Constituency 1983 1987 88 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019
Dumfriesshire / Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale (partially in Strathclyde) Monro Brown Mundell
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale / Dumfries and Galloway (2005) Lang Morgan Duncan Brown Arkless Jack
Roxburgh and Berwickshire / Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (2005) Kirkwood → Moore Kerr Lamont
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (partially in Lothian 1997–2005) Steel → Moore

See also

  • List of constituencies in the Parliament of Scotland at the time of the Union
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