Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament, created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).

Highlands and Islands
electoral region
for the Scottish Parliament
Highlands and Islands shown within Scotland
Population448,311 (2019)[1]
Current electoral region
Created1999
MSPsScottish National Party 7
Conservative 4
Liberal Democrats 2
Labour 1
Scottish Greens 1
Council areasArgyll and Bute (part)
Highland
Moray (part)
Na h-Eileanan Siar
Orkney Islands
Shetland Islands
ConstituenciesArgyll and Bute
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
Inverness and Nairn
Moray
Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Orkney
Shetland
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

The name Highlands and Islands is much older than the electoral region. The Highlands and Islands area has a large area of overlap with the Scottish Highlands, and the two names are often regarded as representing the same area.

The Highlands and Islands region is the largest of the eight electoral regions in terms of area, but the smallest in terms of population and electorate. It has boundaries with the North East Scotland, Mid Scotland and Fife and the West Scotland electoral regions.

Constituencies and council areas

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2011–

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As a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries of the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.

Map Constituency
 
  1. Argyll and Bute
  2. Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
  3. Inverness and Nairn
  4. Moray
  5. Na h-Eileanan an Iar
  6. Orkney
  7. Shetland
  8. Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

1999–2011

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The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing at that time.[2] They covered all of four council areas,[3] the Highland council area, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles council area), the Orkney Isles council area and the Shetland Isles council area, and most of two others, the Argyll and Bute council area and the Moray council area:

Map Constituency
 
  1. Argyll and Bute
    covers most of the Argyll and Bute council area.
  2. Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
    covers a northern portion of the Highland council area.
  3. Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
    covers a southern portion of the Highland council area.
  4. Moray
    covers most of the Moray council area.
  5. Orkney
    covers the Orkney Isles council area.
  6. Ross, Skye and Inverness West
    covers a central portion of the Highland council area.
  7. Shetland
    covers the Shetland Isles council area.
  8. Western Isles
    covers Na h-Eileanan Siar.

A south-eastern portion of the Argyll and Bute area is covered by the Dumbarton constituency, which is in the West of Scotland region. An eastern portion of the Moray area is covered by the Gordon constituency, in the North East Scotland region.

Boundary changes

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The Boundary Commission also recommended changes to the electoral regions used to elect "list" members of the Scottish Parliament. Highlands and Islands was amended so as to contain the newly redrawn constituencies of Argyll and Bute; Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn; Moray; Na h-Eileanan an Iar; Orkney Islands; Shetland Islands; and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.[4]

List of MSPs

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Constituency MSPs

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Term Election Argyll and Bute Caithness, Sutherland
and Easter Ross
Inverness East,
Nairn and Lochaber
Moray Ross, Skye
and Inverness West
Western Isles Orkney Shetland
1st 1999 George Lyon
(LD)
Jamie Stone
(LD)
Fergus Ewing
(SNP)
Margaret Ewing
(SNP)
John Farquhar Munro
(LD)
Alasdair Morrison
(Labour)
Jim Wallace
(LD)
Tavish Scott
(LD)
2nd 2003
2006 by Richard Lochhead
(SNP)
3rd 2007 Jim Mather
(SNP)
Alasdair Allan
(SNP)
Liam McArthur
(LD)
Term Election Argyll and Bute Caithness,
Sutherland and Ross
Inverness and Nairn Moray Skye, Lochaber
and Badenoch
Na h-Eileanan an Iar Orkney Shetland
4th 2011 Michael Russell
(SNP)
Rob Gibson
(SNP)
Fergus Ewing
(SNP)
Richard Lochhead
(SNP)
David Thompson
(SNP)
Alasdair Allan
(SNP)
Liam McArthur
(LD)
Tavish Scott
(LD)
5th 2016 Gail Ross
(SNP)
Kate Forbes
(SNP)
2019 by Beatrice Wishart
(LD)
6th 2021 Jenni Minto
(SNP)
Maree Todd
(SNP)

Regional list MSPs

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N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only

Term Election MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP
1st 1999 Winnie Ewing
(SNP)
Duncan Hamilton
(SNP)
Rhoda Grant
(Labour)
Maureen Macmillan
(Labour)
Peter Peacock
(Labour)
Jamie McGrigor
(Conservative)
Mary Scanlon
(Conservative)
2nd 2003 Rob Gibson
(SNP)
Jim Mather
(SNP)
Eleanor Scott
(Green)
2006 by Dave Petrie
(Conservative)
3rd 2007 David Thompson
(SNP)
Rhoda Grant
(Labour)
David Stewart
(Labour)
Mary Scanlon
(Conservative)
4th 2011 John Finnie
(SNP)
(later Independent)
Mike MacKenzie
(SNP)
Jean Urquhart
(SNP)
(later Independent)
2012
5th 2016 John Finnie
(Green)
Maree Todd
(SNP)
Douglas Ross
(Conservative)
Edward Mountain
(Conservative)
Donald Cameron
(Conservative)
2017 Jamie Halcro Johnston
(Conservative)
6th 2021 Ariane Burgess
(Green)
Emma Roddick
(SNP)
Douglas Ross
(Conservative)
2024 Tim Eagle

(Conservative)

Election results

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Highlands & Islands election results 1999-2021

2021 Scottish Parliament election

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Constituency results

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2021 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll and Bute Jenni Minto SNP hold
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Maree Todd SNP hold
Inverness and Nairn Fergus Ewing SNP hold
Moray Richard Lochhead SNP hold
Na h-Eileanan an Iar Alasdair Allan SNP hold
Orkney Liam McArthur Liberal Democrats hold
Shetland Beatrice Wishart Liberal Democrats hold
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Kate Forbes SNP hold

Additional Member results

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2021 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands[5][6]
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
SNP Emma Roddick, Kate Forbes, Maree Todd, Fergus Ewing, Tom Wills, Mike MacKenzie, Robert Leslie, Rhiannon Spear, Jamie Szymkowiak, Qasim Hanif, Ken Gowans, Sarah Fanet 96,433 40.4  0.7
Conservative Douglas Ross, Edward Mountain, Donald Cameron, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Tim Eagle, Ella Robertson McKay, Struan Mackie, Sam Brown, Gavin Berkenheger, Nick Tulloch 60,779 25.4  3.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Reid, Molly Nolan, Denis Rixson, William Sinclair, Sheila Ritchie, David Gregg, Neil Mitchison 26,771 11.2  2.1
Labour Rhoda Grant, John Erskine, Marion Donaldson, Jo Kirby, Coilla Drake, Lewis Whyte, Shaun Fraser 22,713 9.5  1.7
Scottish Green Ariane Burgess, Anne Thomas, Fabio Villani, Steve Sankey, Debra Nicholson, Sand Owsnett, Topher Dawson, Lisa Jane Mead, Chris Ballance, Isabella Sumsion, Phyl Meyer, Luna Martin 17,729 7.4  0.2
Alba Kirk Torrance, Craig Berry, Josh Robertson, Judith Reid 3,828 1.6  
Independent Andy Wightman 3,367 1.4  
Scottish Family Party Michael Willis, Philipp Tanzer, Shena McLelland, Sophie Hendry, Dolores Hughes 1,976 0.8  
All for Unity Moira Ramage, Patricia Watson, Robbie Munro, Donald Boyd, Paul Burrows, Ian Mitchell, Alistair Kennedy, Paul Bradburn 1,540 0.6  
Abolish the Scottish Parliament Jack Malcolm 686 0.3  
Freedom Alliance Tina McCaffery, Emma Idzidowska, Phil Breed, Gary Cheesman, Anne McCloskey 671 0.3  
Reform UK Sandra Skinner, Les Durance, Kate Brownlie, Catherine Mount 547 0.2  
Scottish Libertarian Harry Christian, Calum Liptrot 488 0.2  
UKIP Robert Stephenson, Robert Scorer, Michael Burger de Fremol, Duncan Geddes, Alan Breeze, Bryan Foster 457 0.2  2.4
Restore Scotland Brian Nugent, Andrew Macdonald 437 0.2  
TUSC Sean Robertson, Yolanda Piotrowicz, Luke Ivory 280 0.1  
Independent Hazel Mansfield 219 0.1  

2016 election

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In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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2016 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll and Bute Michael Russell SNP hold
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Gail Ross SNP hold
Inverness and Nairn Fergus Ewing SNP hold
Moray Richard Lochhead SNP hold
Na h-Eileanan an Iar Alasdair Allan SNP hold
Orkney Liam McArthur Liberal Democrats hold
Shetland Tavish Scott Liberal Democrats hold
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Kate Forbes SNP hold

Additional member results

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Elected candidates are highlighted in bold.

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands[7]
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
SNP Maree Todd, Laura Mitchell, Mike Mackenzie, Liz MacDonald, Richard Laird, Danus Skene, Angus MacLeod, Hugh Moodie, Ken Gowans, Donna Heddle, Antony Harrison, Muriel Cockburn 81,600 39.7 −7.8
Conservative Douglas Ross, Edward Mountain, Donald Cameron, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Struan Mackie, Cameron Smith, Robbie Munro 44,693 21.8 +10.1
Liberal Democrats Jamie Stone, Carolyn Caddick, James Patterson, David Green, Alan Reid, Angela MacLean, Jean Davis, Ken MacLeod 27,223 13.3 +1.2
Labour Rhoda Grant, David Stewart, Leah Franchetti, Sean Morton, Sarah Atkin, John Erskine, Robina Barton, Gerard McGarvey 22,894 11.2 −3.3
Scottish Green John Finnie, Isla O'Reilly, Fabio Villani, Ariane Burgess, Steve Sankey, Anne Katherine Thomas, Donnie Macleod, Michele Rhodius, Topher Dawson 14,781 7.2 +2.1
UKIP David Coburn, Arthur Leslie Durance, George King, Philip Andrew Anderson 5,344 2.6 0.7
Independent James Wilson Stockan 3,689 1.8 +1.8
Scottish Christian Donald Macleod Boyd, Andrew Henderson Shearer, Isobel Ann MacLeod, John Cranston Lister 3,407 1.7 −0.3
RISE Jean Urquhart, Conor Cheyne, Suzanne Nicola Wright, Louis McIntosh 889 0.4 N/A
Solidarity Liz Walker, Ryan Malcolm McGuinness, William Robertson Henderson, Findlay Robert Walker 793 0.4 +0.3

2011 election

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In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:[8]

Constituency results

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2011 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll and Bute Michael Russell SNP hold
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Rob Gibson SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Inverness and Nairn Fergus Ewing SNP hold
Moray Richard Lochhead SNP hold
Na h-Eileanan an Iar Alasdair Allan SNP hold
Orkney Liam McArthur Liberal Democrats hold
Shetland Tavish Scott Liberal Democrats hold
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Dave Thompson SNP gain from Liberal Democrats

Additional member results

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2011 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP John Finnie
Jean Urquhart
Mike MacKenzie
3 +1 85,082 47.5 +13.1
Labour Rhoda Grant
David Stewart
2 -1 25,884 14.5 -3.2
Liberal Democrats 0 ±0 21,729 12.1 -8.0
Conservative Jamie McGrigor
Mary Scanlon
2 ±0 20,843 11.6 -0.8
Scottish Green 0 0 9,076 5.1 +0.4
Scottish Christian 0 0 3,541 2.0 -1.4
UKIP 0 0 3,372 1.9 +1.2
All Scotland Pensioners Party 0 0 2,770 1.5 -0.6
Ban Bankers Bonuses 0 0 1,764 1.0 N/A
Liberal 0 0 1,969 0.9 N/A
Socialist Labour 0 0 1,406 0.8 +0.2
BNP 0 0 1,134 0.6 -0.5
Scottish Socialist 0 0 509 0.3 -0.2
Solidarity 0 0 204 0.1 -0.9

2007 election

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In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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2007 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll and Bute Jim Mather SNP gain from Liberal Democrats
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Jamie Stone Liberal Democrats hold
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber Fergus Ewing SNP hold
Moray Richard Lochhead SNP hold
Orkney Liam McArthur Liberal Democrats hold
Ross, Skye and Inverness West John Farquhar Munro Liberal Democrats hold
Shetland Tavish Scott Liberal Democrats hold
Western Isles Alasdair Allan SNP gain from Labour

Additional member results

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2007 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Rob Gibson
David Thompson
2 ±0 63,979 34.4 +11.0
Liberal Democrats 0 ±0 37,001 19.9 +1.1
Labour Peter Peacock
Rhoda Grant
David Stewart
3 +1 32,952 17.7 -4.6
Conservative Mary Scanlon
Jamie McGrigor
2 ±0 23,334 12.6 -3.4
Scottish Green 0 -1 8,602 4.6 -3.6
Scottish Christian 0 ±0 6,332 3.4 +3.4
Scottish Senior Citizens 0 ±0 3,841 2.1 N/A
BNP 0 ±0 2,152 1.2 N/A
Solidarity 0 ±0 1,833 1.0 N/A
UKIP 0 ±0 1,287 0.7 -0.5
Socialist Labour 0 ±0 1,027 0.6 -0.4
Scottish Socialist 0 ±0 973 0.5 -4.8
Publican Party 0 ±0 914 0.5 N/A
CPA 0 ±0 885 0.5 N/A
Scottish Voice 0 ±0 450 0.2 N/A
Scottish Enterprise 0 ±0 211 0.1 N/A

2003 election

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In the 2003 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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2003 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll and Bute George Lyon Liberal Democrats
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Jamie Stone Liberal Democrats
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber Fergus Ewing SNP
Moray Margaret Ewing SNP
Orkney Jim Wallace Liberal Democrats
Ross, Skye and Inverness West John Farquhar Munro Liberal Democrats
Shetland Tavish Scott Liberal Democrats
Western Isles Alasdair Morrison Labour

Changes:

Additional member results

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2003 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Jim Mather
Rob Gibson
2 ±0 39,497 23.43 -4.3
Labour Peter Peacock
Maureen Macmillan
2 −1 37,605 22.31 -3.16
Liberal Democrats 0 0 31,655 18.78 -2.65
Conservative Jamie McGrigor
Mary Scanlon
2 ±0 26,989 16.01 +1.07
Scottish Green Eleanor Scott 1 +1 13,935 8.27 +4.52
Scottish Socialist 0 0 9,000 5.34 +4.46
UKIP 0 0 1,947 1.16 N/A
Robbie the Pict (Independent) 0 0 1,822 1.08 +0.51
Countryside 0 0 1,768 1.05 N/A
Socialist Labour 0 0 1,617 0.96 -0.43
Scottish People's 0 0 793 0.47 N/A
Independent 0 0 353 0.21 +0.03
Rural Party 0 0 177 0.11 N/A

Changes:

1999 election

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In the 1999 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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1999 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Constituency Elected member Result
Argyll and Bute George Lyon Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Jamie Stone Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber Fergus Ewing Scottish National Party win (new seat)
Moray Margaret Ewing Scottish National Party win (new seat)
Orkney Jim Wallace Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Ross, Skye and Inverness West John Farquhar Munro Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Shetland Tavish Scott Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Western Isles Alasdair Morrison Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)

Additional member results

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1999 Scottish Parliament election: Highlands and Islands
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Winnie Ewing
Duncan Hamilton
2 N/A 55,593 27.73 N/A
Labour Peter Peacock
Maureen Macmillan
Rhoda Grant
3 N/A 51,371 25.47 N/A
Liberal Democrats 0 N/A 43,226 21.43 N/A
Conservative Jamie McGrigor
Mary Scanlon
2 N/A 30,122 14.94 N/A
Scottish Green 0 N/A 7,560 3.75 N/A
I Noble (Independent) 0 N/A 3,522 1.75 N/A
Socialist Labour 0 N/A 2,808 1.39 N/A
Highlands and Islands 0 N/A 2,607 1.29 N/A
Scottish Socialist 0 N/A 1,770 0.88 N/A
Robbie the Pict (Independent) 0 N/A 1,151 0.57 N/A
Independent 0 N/A 712 0.35 N/A
Natural Law 0 N/A 536 0.27 N/A
Independent 0 N/A 354 0.18 N/A

Footnotes

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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. ^ Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies in 2005. See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland Archived 2007-09-21 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ Council areas are as defined in 1996, and were changed after the 2007 Scottish Parliament election.
  4. ^ "Politicians, elections and democracy: Elections and voting: Scottish Parliamentary". Highland Council. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  5. ^ MacNeill, Alison. "Scottish Parliamentary Election 2021 results for the Highlands and Islands Regional List". www.highland.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. ^ Highlands and Islands [region], BBC News; retrieved 8 May 2021
  7. ^ "Scottish Parliamentary election 2016: Highlands and Islands Region Statement of persons and parties nominated and Notice of Poll". The Highland Council. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Your MSPs: Highlands & Islands" (PDF). Scottish Government. May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2014.