Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Scottish Parliament constituency)

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Gaelic: Eadraig, Rosbrog agus Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) covering part of the council area of Scottish Borders. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. It is also one of nine constituencies in the South Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire shown within the South Scotland electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Population68,019 (2019)[1]
Current constituency
Created2011
PartyConservative
MSPRachael Hamilton
Council areaScottish Borders
Created fromRoxburgh and Berwickshire,
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

The constituency was established for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, and covers parts of the former constituencies of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale and Roxburgh and Berwickshire. The remaining parts of the Scottish Borders form part of the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency.[2][3]

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire is currently held by the Conservatives. The current MSP is Rachael Hamilton, who won the seat at a 2017 by-election following the resignation of previous member John Lamont in order to contest the 2017 UK general election.

Electoral region

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The other eight constituencies of the South Scotland region are: Ayr, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Clydesdale, Dumfriesshire, East Lothian, Galloway and West Dumfries, Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley and Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale.

The region covers the Dumfries and Galloway council area, part of the East Ayrshire council area, part of the East Lothian council area, part of the Midlothian council area, the Scottish Borders council area, the South Ayrshire council area and part of the South Lanarkshire council area.

Constituency boundaries and council areas

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Map of boundaries from 2011

The rest of the Scottish Borders is represented in the Scottish Parliament by the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency.

The electoral wards in the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency are listed below. All of these wards are part of Scottish Borders.[3]

Members of the Scottish Parliament

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Election Member Party
2011 John Lamont Conservative
2017 by-election Rachael Hamilton

Election results

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2021 parliamentary election

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2021 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire[4][5][6][a]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
Conservative Rachael Hamilton[b] 18,564 51.5  3.7 17,075 47.4  0.7
SNP Paul Wheelhouse[c] 11,701 32.5  0.7 10,857 30.1  0.3
Liberal Democrats Jenny Marr 2,352 6.5  1.2 2,426 6.7  1.9
Labour Ian Davidson 2,050 5.7  0.4 2,438 6.8  0.0
Scottish Green Barbra Harvie 1,084 3.0 New 1,665 4.6  0.1
All for Unity 492 1.4 New
Alba 317 0.9 New
Independent Jesse Rae 290 0.8 New
Scottish Family 184 0.51 New
Independent Green Voice 148 0.41 New
Abolish the Scottish Parliament 134 0.37 New
Reform UK 116 0.32 New
Scottish Libertarian 60 0.17 New
UKIP 60 0.17  2.1
Freedom Alliance (UK) 51 0.17 New
Vanguard 11 0.03 New
Scotia Future 10 0.03 New
Majority 6,863 19.0   4.4
Valid Votes 36,041 36,044
Invalid Votes 81 69
Turnout 36,122 64.0  3.1 36,113 64.0  3.1
Conservative hold Swing  2.2
Notes
  1. ^ Showing changes from 2016 general election.
  2. ^ Incumbent member for this constituency
  3. ^ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

2017 by-election

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In April 2017, John Lamont announced his intention to resign his seat in the Scottish Parliament in order to contest the 2017 UK general election.[7]

2017 Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire by-election[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rachael Hamilton 20,658 53.5  1.7
SNP Gail Hendry 11,320 29.3  2.5
Labour Sally Prentice 3,406 8.8  3.5
Liberal Democrats Catriona Bhatia 3,196 8.3  0.6
Majority 9,338 24.2  0.8
Total valid votes 38,580
Rejected ballots 73
Turnout 38,653 70.9  10.0
Conservative hold Swing  0.4

2016 parliamentary election

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2016 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire[10][11]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
Conservative John Lamont[a] 18,257 55.2  10.3 15,452 46.7  15.2
SNP Paul Wheelhouse[b] 10,521 31.8  5.4 10,068 30.4  4.4
Liberal Democrats Jim Hume[b] 2,551 7.7  9.6 2,851 8.6  6.2
Labour Barrie Cunning 1,766 5.3  5.1 2,251 6.8  3.2
Scottish Green 1,481 4.5  1.1
UKIP 771 2.3  0.6
Clydesdale and South Scotland Independent 112 0.3 New
RISE 68 0.2 New
Solidarity 67 0.2  0.1
Majority 7,736 23.4  4.9
Valid Votes 33,095 33,121
Invalid Votes 88 68
Turnout 33,183 60.9  7.7 33,189 60.9  7.7
Conservative hold Swing
Notes
  1. ^ Incumbent member for this constituency
  2. ^ a b Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

2011 parliamentary election

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2011 Scottish Parliament election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire[12]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
Conservative John Lamont[a] 12,933 44.88 N/A 9,045 31.5 N/A
SNP Paul Wheelhouse[b] 7,599 26.37 N/A 10,009 34.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Euan Robson 4,990 17.32 N/A 4,247 14.8 N/A
Labour Rab Stewart 2,986 10.36 N/A 2,881 10.0 N/A
Scottish Green 965 3.4 N/A
UKIP 481 1.7 N/A
All-Scotland Pensioners Party 442 1.5 N/A
Independent Jesse Rae 308 1.07 N/A
Socialist Labour 201 0.7 N/A
BNP 183 0.6 N/A
Scottish Christian 178 0.6 N/A
Scottish Socialist 71 0.2 N/A
Solidarity 21 0.1 N/A
Majority 5,334 18.51 N/A
Valid Votes 28,816 28,724
Invalid Votes 102 166
Turnout 28,918 53.2 N/A 28,890 53.2 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Notes
  1. ^ Incumbent member for the Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency
  2. ^ Elected on the party list

References

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  1. ^ Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC) Population Estimates (2011 Data Zone based), National Records of Scotland; retrieved 6 May 2021 (accompanying summary notes)
  2. ^ "The New Scottish Parliament Constituencies 2011" (PDF). BBC News online. 8 September 2010. p. 10. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b "First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries Final Report" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. May 2010. p. 120. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Constituencies A-Z: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Scottish Parliament election results 2021". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Rachael Hamilton elected as MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire". Scottish Borders Council. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Tory MSP to quit Holyrood to stand for Westminster". BBC News. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Scottish Parliament by election results 2017: Ettrick, Roxburghshire, Berwickshire". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  9. ^ "WATCH: Rachael Hamilton wins Holyrood by-election". Border Telegraph.
  10. ^ "Scottish Parliament election results 2016". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire 2016 election results - list" (PDF). Scottish Borders Council. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Results and turnout at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
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