Ochil (Scottish Parliament constituency)

Ochil is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, however, it is one of nine constituencies in the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Electoral region

See also Mid Scotland and Fife Scottish Parliament region

The other eight constituencies of the South of Scotland region are Dunfermline East, Dunfermline West, Fife Central, Fife North East, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Stirling and Tayside North.

The region covers all of the Clackmannanshire council area, all of the Fife council area, all of the Perth and Kinross council area, all of the Stirling council area and parts of the Angus council area.

Constituency boundaries and council areas

The constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, with the name and boundaries of a pre-existing Westminster (House of Commons) constituency. In 2005, however, Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies. The Ochil Westminster constituency, was divided between the Ochil and South Perthshire Westminster constituency and the Stirling Westminster constituency.

The Holyrood constituency of Ochil covers the whole of the Clackmannanshire council area, a south-eastern portion of the Perth and Kinross council area and a south-eastern portion of the Stirling council area.

The rest of the Perth and Kinross council area is covered by two Mid Scotland and Fife constituencies, Perth and Tayside North, and one North East Scotland constituency, Angus. Tayside North also covers a northern portion of the Angus council area, and the Angus constituency also covers a southern portion of the Angus council area and north-western and north-eastern portions of the City of Dundee council area.

The rest of the Stirling council area is covered by another Mid Scotland and Fife constuency, the Stirling constituency.

Description of the constituency

Although a county constituency, Ochil is mostly industrial in character, with the main industries of the region being brewing, distilling, glass manufacture, bottling, tourism and agriculture. At local government level, more affluent areas are Conservative Party strongholds. Examples include Bridge of Allan, which is home to wealthy commuters to the city of Stirling and further afield, and Dollar, which has, in its Academy, one of Scotland's most renowned private schools. The majority of the constituency's inhabitants, however, are working-class.

Election results

Scottish parliamentary election, 1999: Ochil

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Richard Simpson	15,385	41.73%	N/A
	SNP	George Reid	14,082	38.2%	N/A
	Conservative	Nick Johnston	4,151	11.26%	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	The Earl of Mar & Kellie	3,249	8.81%	N/A
Majority			1,301	3.53%	N/A
Turnout			36,867
	Labour hold		Swing	N/A

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Scottish parliamentary election, 2003: Ochil

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	George Reid	11,659	38.3%	+0.1%
	Labour	Richard Simpson	11,363	37.4%	−4.4%
	Conservative	Malcolm Parkin	2,946	9.7%	−1.6%
	Liberal Democrats	Catherine Whittingham	2,536	8.3%	−0.5%
	Scottish Socialist	Felicity Garvie	1,102	3.6%	+3.6%
	Monster Raving Loony	Flash Gordon Approaching	432	1.4%	+1.4%
	Independent	William Whyte	378	1.2%	+1.2%
Majority			296	1.0%	−2.53%
Turnout			30,416	54.7%
	SNP gain from Labour		Swing	4.5%

Note: Although George Reid was elected as a Scottish National Party candidate in 2003, he became independent the same year, as the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.