Glenrothes (UK Parliament constituency)

Not to be confused with Mid Fife and Glenrothes (Scottish Parliament constituency).

Glenrothes
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Glenrothes in Scotland
Major settlementsCardenden, Glenrothes, Markinch
Current constituency
Created2005
Member of ParliamentPeter Grant (SNP)
Created fromCentral Fife

Glenrothes (/ɡlɛnˈrɒθɪs/) is a constituency in Scotland represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005.

The seat has been held since the 2015 general election by Peter Grant of the Scottish National Party (SNP), who gained it from the Labour Party, which had held it since its creation. The seat includes the major settlements of Cardenden, Glenrothes and Markinch.

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies the Boundary Commission for Scotland recommended the constituency to be renamed Glenrothes and Mid Fife, to be first contested at the next general election.[1]

Boundaries

Map of current boundaries

The current boundaries centre on Glenrothes itself, moving south and west to include Cardenden, and a small section of Kirkcaldy. The northern and western areas include Leslie and Markinch. In the east, the seat contains Leven, Kennoway, and Methil.

History

Glenrothes was created for the 2005 general election, mostly replacing Central Fife, but incorporating small parts of Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline East.

Creation in 2005–2008

The first holder of the newly created seat was John MacDougall, who died on 13 August 2008,[2] triggering a by-election.

2008

In the 2008 by election, Lindsay Roy was elected, the Labour majority falling by around 4,000 votes, with the Labour vote increasing by 3%; the SNP making significant gains from the lower-placed Conservative and the Liberal Democrat candidates.[3]

2010 general election

With the 2010 general election, the Labour share of the vote increased by 10% at the expense of the SNP candidate. The winner's total reached 62% of the votes cast, which places the seat in the top decile of seats won and therefore indicates a safe seat majority. Relative to the 2005 general election the swing against the SNP was less accentuated than relative to the by-election at 4.45% of the vote on the standard two-party measure of swing, which is comparable to the national swing.

Members of Parliament

Election Member[4] Party
2005 John MacDougall Labour
2008 by-election Lindsay Roy Labour
2015 Peter Grant Scottish National Party

Elections

Fife West election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Glenrothes[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Peter Grant 21,234 51.1 +8.3
Labour Pat Egan 9,477 22.8 -11.9
Conservative Amy Thomson 6,920 16.7 -2.8
Liberal Democrats Jane Ann Liston 2,639 6.4 +3.4
Brexit Party Victor Farrell 1,276 3.1 New
Majority 11,757 28.3 +20.2
Turnout 41,546 63.2 +2.3
SNP hold Swing +10.1

The Brexit Party withdrew support for Victor Farrell over homophobic remarks.[7]

General election 2017: Glenrothes[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Peter Grant 17,291 42.8 -17.0
Labour Altany Craik 14,024 34.7 +4.1
Conservative Andrew Brown 7,876 19.5 +11.8
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Bell 1,208 3.0 +1.1
Majority 3,267 8.1 -21.1
Turnout 40,399 60.9 -7.3
SNP hold Swing -10.6
General election 2015: Glenrothes[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Peter Grant 28,459 59.8 +38.1
Labour Melanie Ward 14,562 30.6 −31.7
Conservative Alex Stewart-Clark[11] 3,685 7.7 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Jane Ann Liston[12] 892 1.9 −5.8
Majority 13,897 29.2 N/A
Turnout 47,598 68.2 +8.5
SNP gain from Labour Swing +35.0
General election 2010: Glenrothes[13][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lindsay Roy 25,247 62.3 +10.4
SNP David Alexander 8,799 21.7 -1.7
Liberal Democrats Harry Wills 3,108 7.7 -5.0
Conservative Sheila Low 2,922 7.2 +0.1
UKIP Kris Seunarine 425 1.0 -0.2
Majority 16,448 40.6 +12.1
Turnout 40,501 59.7 +3.5
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 2000s

2008 Glenrothes by-election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lindsay Roy 19,946 55.1 +3.2
SNP Peter Grant 13,209 36.5 +13.1
Conservative Maurice Golden 1,381 3.8 -3.3
Liberal Democrats Harry Wills 947 2.6 -10.1
Scottish Senior Citizens Jim Parker 296 1.0 -0.9
Scottish Socialist Morag Balfour 212 0.6 -1.3
UKIP Kris Seunarine 117 0.3 -0.9
Solidarity Louise McLeary 87 0.2 New
Majority 6,737 18.6 -9.9
Turnout 36,219 52.4 -3.7
Labour hold Swing
General election 2005: Glenrothes[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John MacDougall 19,395 51.9 -6.0
SNP John Beare 8,731 23.4 -0.6
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Riches 4,728 12.7 +4.8
Conservative Belinda Don 2,651 7.1 -0.4
Scottish Senior Citizens George Rodger 716 1.9 New
Scottish Socialist Morag Balfour 705 1.9 -0.8
UKIP Paul Smith 440 1.2 +1.1
Majority 10,664 28.5 N/A
Turnout 37,366 56.1 N/A

References

  1. ^ Boundary Commission Scotland 2023 Review Report
  2. ^ "MP MacDougall dies after illness". BBC News. 13 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Glenrothes by-election date set". BBC News. 6 October 2008.
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "G" (part 2)
  5. ^ "General Election 12 December 2019". Fife Council. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Glenrothes parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Brexit Party withdraws support from Glenrothes candidate over 'rampant homophobia'". The Scotsman. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Glenrothes parliamentary constituency - Election 2017 - BBC News". www.bbc.com. BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ^ a b "General Election Results". Fife Council. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Alex Stewart-Clark". Scottish.Conservative. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  12. ^ "list of selected candidates". Lib Dems. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Glenrothes result in full". BBC News. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

56°11′49″N 3°10′23″W / 56.197°N 3.173°W / 56.197; -3.173