List of Great Britain and UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland from 1707
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Scotland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain under the Acts of Union 1707 from 1 May 1707. It became part of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801.
Under the terms of the Act of Union 1707, Scotland was entitled to 45 members of the House of Commons of the Westminster Parliament.
A Scottish law passed before the Union defined the constituencies for elections to the Parliament of Great Britain. There was a special provision for the selection of Members of Parliament for the 1st Parliament of Great Britain.
In 1707, members of the former Parliament of Scotland were co-opted to serve in the 1st Parliament of Great Britain. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain, for details.
Summary of constituencies and Members of Parliament
Key to categories: BC - Burgh constituencies, CC - County constituencies, UC - University constituencies, Total C - Total constituencies, BMP - Burgh Members of Parliament, CMP - County Members of Parliament, UMP - 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 |
Constituencies in Scotland from 1707
Notes:
- Compass point and similar names for Divisions of counties often officially precede the name of the County (Central Aberdeenshire). This list uses the Burgh equivalent form (Aberdeenshire Central), for the first area included in the constituency name. This does not apply to areas where the county name is e.g. East Lothian, or the town name is e.g. East Kilbride.
- The County etc. column includes the historic/administrative county or local government region in which a constituency was included when it was created. Local government boundaries used for a redistribution were sometimes obsolete by the time the new constituencies were first used. Official names of counties did sometimes change (e.g. Edinburghshire and Midlothian). Constituencies created in 2005 have no local area mentioned. A constituency covering more than one such area has the predominant area (or for Districts of Burghs the county of the first named Burgh) recorded.
Historical representation by party
A cell marked → (with a different colour background to the preceding cell) indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party name.
Highland
Before 1974 comprising the counties of Orkney, Shetland, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross-shire, Cromartyshire and Inverness-shire.
After 1996 comprising the unitary authorities of Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), Shetland Islands and Orkney Islands.
1708 to 1832
- Orkney & Shetland
- Caithness (alternated with Bute)
- Sutherland
- Ross-shire
- Tain Burghs
- Cromartyshire (alternated with Nairnshire)
- Inverness-shire
- Inverness Burghs
1832 to 1885
Conservative Liberal Tories Whig
1885 to 1918
Conservative Independent Liberal Liberal Liberal Unionist
*also the candidate of the Crofters' Party
1918 to 1983
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Independent Conservative Independent Liberal Labour Liberal National Labour National Liberal (1931-68) Scottish National Party Social Democratic
1983 to present
Labour Liberal Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Social Democratic
Grampian
Before 1974 comprising the counties of Elginshire, Nairnshire, Banffshire, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.
After 1996 comprising the unitary authorities of Aberdeenshire, City of Aberdeen and Moray.
1708 to 1832
- Banffshire
- Elginshire
- Elgin Burghs
- Nairnshire (alternated with Cromartyshire)
- Aberdeenshire
- Aberdeen Burghs
- Kincardineshire
1832 to 1885
Conservative Party Independent Liberal Party Tories Whig Party
1885 to 1918
Conservative Liberal Liberal Unionist
1918 to 1983
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Labour Liberal Scottish National Party
1983 to present
Conservative Labour Liberal Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party
Central and Tayside
Before 1974 comprising the counties of Forfarshire, Perthshire, Clackmannanshire, Kinross-shire and Stirlingshire.
After 1996 comprising the unitary authorities of Falkirk, Perth and Kinross, City of Dundee, Angus, Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
1708 to 1832
- Forfarshire
- Perthshire
- Perth Burghs
- Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire (alternated)
- Stirlingshire
- Stirling Burghs
1832 to 1885
Conservative Party Independent Liberal Party Peelite Radicals Whig Party
1885 to 1918
Conservative Labour Liberal Liberal Unionist
1918 to 1950
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Independent Independent Liberal Labour Liberal National Liberal (1931-68) Scottish Prohibition
1950 to 1983
Conservative Labour National Liberal (1931-68) Scottish National Party
1983 to present
Conservative Independent Labour Scottish National Party
Fife
1708 to 1832
1832 to 1885
1885 to 1918
Conservative Independent Liberal Labour Liberal Liberal Unionist
1918 to 1974
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Communist Conservative Labour Liberal National Liberal (1931-68)
1974 to present
Conservative Independent Labour Liberal Democrats Liberal Scottish National Party
Strathclyde
Before 1974 comprising the counties of Argyllshire, Buteshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.
After 1996 comprising the unitary authorities of 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.
1708 to 1832
- Argyllshire
- Bute (alternated with Caithness)
- Dunbartonshire
- Renfrewshire
- Ayrshire
- Ayr Burghs
- Lanarkshire
- Glasgow Burghs
1832 to 1885
1885 to 1918
Conservative Independent Liberal Labour Liberal Liberal Unionist National Democratic & Labour
1918 to 1950
Coalition Labour Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Communist Conservative Independent Labour Independent Labour Party Labour Liberal National Independent National Labour National Liberal (1931-68) New Party Scottish National Party
1950 to 1983
Conservative Labour National Liberal (1931-68) Scottish Labour Scottish National Party Social Democratic
1983 to present
Conservative Independent Labour Liberal Liberal Democrats Respect Scottish National Party Social Democratic Speaker
Lothian
Before 1974 comprising the counties of Linlithgowshire, Edinburghshire and Haddingtonshire.
After 1996 comprising the unitary authorities of City of Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian and Midlothian.
1708 to 1832
1832 to 1885
1885 to 1918
Conservative Independent Liberal Liberal Liberal Unionist
1918 to 1974
Conservative Labour Liberal National Liberal (1931-68)
1950 to 1983
1983 to present
Conservative Independent Labour Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party
Dumfries and Galloway and Borders
Before 1974 comprising the counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire, Roxburghshire and Berwickshire.
After 1996 comprising the unitary authorities of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders.
1708 to 1832
- Dumfriesshire
- Dumfries Burghs
- Wigtownshire
- Wigtown Burghs
- Kirkcudbrightshire
- Peebleshire
- Selkirkshire
- Roxburghshire
- Berwickshire
1832 to 1885
1885 to 1918
Conservative Liberal Liberal Unionist
1918 to 1950
Coalition Liberal (1918-22) / National Liberal (1922-23) Conservative Independent Conservative Labour Liberal National Liberal (1931-68) New Party
1950 to 1983
Conservative Labour Liberal National Liberal (1931-68) Scottish National Party
1983 to present
Conservative Labour Liberal Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party
Non-geographic (2)
Constituency | 1832 | 1835 | 1837 | 1841 | 1847 | 1852 | 1857 | 1859 | 1865 | 1868 | 1874 | 1880 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities | bgcolor=Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color| Liberal | bgcolor=Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color| Liberal | bgcolor=Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color| Liberal | |||||||||
Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities | bgcolor=Template:Liberal Party (UK)/meta/color| Liberal | bgcolor=Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color| Conservative | bgcolor=Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color| Conservative |
Sources
- British Historical Facts 1760-1830 by Chris Cook and John Stevenson
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1983, (5 volumes) edited by F.W.S. Craig