Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 59°46′30″N 1°48′11″W / 59.775°N 1.803°W / 59.775; -1.803

Orkney and Shetland
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Orkney and Shetland in Scotland
Subdivisions of ScotlandOrkney and Shetland
Electorate33,229
Major settlementsKirkwall, Lerwick
Current constituency
Created1708
Member of ParliamentAlistair Carmichael (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromOrkney and Shetland

Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. In the Scottish Parliament, Orkney and Shetland are separate constituencies. The constituency was historically known as Orkney and Zetland (an alternative name for Shetland).

In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, 65.4% of the constituency's electors voted for Scotland to stay part of the United Kingdom.

Creation

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Orkney & Zetland.

Boundaries

The constituency is made up of the two northernmost island groups of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland. A constituency of this name has existed continuously since 1708. However, before 1918 the town of Kirkwall (the capital of Orkney) formed part of the Northern Burghs constituency. It is the most northerly of the 650 UK Parliament constituencies.

The constituency is one of five "protected constituencies", the others being Na h-Eileanan an Iar, two on the Isle of Wight, and Ynys Môn, defined exclusively by geography rather than by size of electorate. The constituency contains the areas of the Orkney Islands Council and the Shetland Islands Council. Before 2011 the constituency had been unique in having its boundaries protected by legislation.

The constituency has the second smallest electorate of any UK parliamentary constituency, after Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

History

The constituency has elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post since its creation in 1707. The constituency has remained largely unchanged since its creation. The town of Kirkwall was added in 1918, having previously been part of Wick Burghs.

Members of Parliament

The constituency has elected only Liberal and Liberal Democrat MPs since 1950; the longest run of any British parliamentary constituency. At each general election from 1955 until 1979, in 1987, 2010 and again in 2017 it was the safest Liberal Democrat seat in the UK. At the 2015 general election, it was the only seat in Scotland to return a Liberal Democrat MP. Two years later, in 2017, the Lib Dems gained three more seats in Scotland; increasing their Scottish seat tally to 4.

Year Member Party
1707 Sir Alexander Douglas
1713 George Douglas
1715 James Moodie
1722 George Douglas
1730 by-election Robert Douglas
1747 James Halyburton
1754 James Douglas
1768 Thomas Dundas I
1771 by-election Thomas Dundas II
1780 Robert Baikie
1781 Charles Dundas
1784 Thomas Dundas II
1790 John Balfour Tory
1796 Capt. Robert Honyman I
1806 Col. Robert Honyman II
1807 Malcolm Laing Whig
1812 Richard Honyman
1818 George Dundas
1820 John Balfour
1826 George Dundas Whig
1830 George Traill
1835 Thomas Balfour Conservative
1837 Frederick Dundas Whig
1847 Arthur Anderson
1852 Frederick Dundas
1859 Liberal
1873 by-election Samuel Laing
1885 Leonard Lyell
1900 Cathcart Wason Liberal Unionist
1902 by-election Independent Liberal
1906 Liberal
1918 Coalition Liberal
1921 by-election Malcolm Smith
1922 Robert Hamilton Liberal
1935 Basil Neven-Spence Conservative
1950 Jo Grimond Liberal
1983 Jim Wallace
1992 Liberal Democrat
2001 Alistair Carmichael

Elections

Orkney & Shetland election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael 10,381 44.8 −3.8
SNP Robert Leslie 7,874 34.0 +5.0
Conservative Jenny Fairbairn 2,287 9.9 +1.2
Labour Coilla Drake 1,550 6.7 −4.7
Brexit Party Robert Smith 900 3.9 New
Independent David Barnard 168 0.7 New
Majority 2,507 10.8 −8.8
Turnout 23,160 67.7 −0.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −4.4
General election 2017: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael 11,312 48.6 +7.2
SNP Miriam Brett 6,749 29.0 −8.8
Labour Robina Barton 2,664 11.4 +4.3
Conservative Jamie Halcro Johnston 2,024 8.7 −0.2
UKIP Robert Smith 283 1.2 −3.6
Independent Stuart Hill 245 1.1 New
Majority 4,563 19.6 +16.0
Turnout 23,277 68.1 +2.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +8.0
General election 2015: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael 9,407 41.4 −20.6
SNP Danus Skene 8,590 37.8 +27.2
Conservative Donald Cameron 2,025 8.9 −1.6
Labour Gerry McGarvey 1,624 7.1 −3.6
UKIP Robert Smith 1,082 4.8 −1.5
Majority 817 3.6 −47.7
Turnout 22,728 65.8 +7.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −23.9
General election 2010: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael 11,989 62.0 +10.5
Labour Mark Cooper 2,061 10.7 −3.5
SNP John Mowat 2,042 10.6 +0.3
Conservative Frank Nairn 2,032 10.5 −2.8
UKIP Robert Smith 1,222 6.3 +3.9
Majority 9,928 51.3 +14.0
Turnout 19,346 58.5 +4.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +7.0

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael 9,138 51.5 +10.2
Labour Richard Meade 2,511 14.2 −6.4
Conservative Frank Nairn 2,357 13.3 −5.4
SNP John Mowat 1,833 10.3 −4.5
Scottish Socialist John Aberdein 992 5.6 +1.0
UKIP Scott Dyble 424 2.4 New
Legalise Cannabis Paul Cruickshank 311 1.8 New
Free Scotland Party Brian Nugent 176 1.0 New
Majority 6,627 37.3 +16.6
Turnout 17,742 53.7 +1.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +8.3
General election 2001: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael 6,919 41.3 −10.7
Labour Robert Mochrie 3,444 20.6 +2.3
Conservative John Firth 3,121 18.7 +6.5
SNP John Mowat 2,473 14.8 +2.1
Scottish Socialist Peter Andrews 776 4.6 New
Majority 3,475 20.7 −13.0
Turnout 16,733 52.4 −11.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −13.0

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jim Wallace 10,743 52.0 +5.6
Labour James Paton 3,775 18.3 −1.5
SNP Willie Ross 2,624 12.7 +1.5
Conservative Hope Anderson 2,527 12.2 −9.8
Referendum Francis Adamson 820 4.0 New
Natural Law Christian Wharton 116 0.6 0.0
Independent Arthur Robertson 60 0.3 New
Majority 6,968 33.7 +10.3
Turnout 20,665 64.0 −1.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +3.6
General election 1992: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jim Wallace 9,575 46.4 +4.7
Conservative Paul McCormick 4,542 22.0 −1.3
Labour John Aberdein 4,093 19.8 +1.1
SNP Frances McKie 2,301 11.2 New
Natural Law Christian Wharton 115 0.6 New
Majority 5,033 24.4 +6.0
Turnout 20,626 65.5 −3.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +3.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jim Wallace 8,881 41.7 −4.2
Conservative Richard Jenkins 4,959 23.3 −2.3
Labour John Aberdein 3,995 18.7 +5.6
Orkney and Shetland Movement John Goodlad 3,095 14.5 New
Green Grierson Collister 389 1.8 New
Majority 3,922 18.4 −1.9
Turnout 21,319 68.7 −0.1
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1983: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jim Wallace 9,374 45.9 −10.5
Conservative David Myles 5,224 25.6 +4.3
SNP Winifred Ewing 3,147 15.4 +10.6
Labour Robina Goodlad 2,665 13.1 −4.3
Majority 4,150 20.3 −14.8
Turnout 20,410 67.8 +0.6
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 10,950 56.4 +0.2
Conservative Charles Donaldson 4,140 21.3 +7.1
Labour Robina Goodlad 3,385 17.4 +5.0
SNP Michael Spens 935 4.8 −12.4
Majority 6,810 35.1 −3.9
Turnout 19,410 67.2 +0.4
Liberal hold Swing
General election October 1974: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 9,877 56.2 −5.8
SNP Howard Firth 3,025 17.2 New
Conservative Raymond M. Fraser 2,495 14.2 −8.4
Labour Jonathan W. G. Wills 2,175 12.4 −3.1
Majority 6,852 39.0 -0.4
Turnout 17,572 66.8 -4.3
Liberal hold Swing
General election February 1974: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 11,491 62.0 +15.0
Conservative John L. Firth 4,186 22.6 −9.3
Labour Jonathan W. G. Wills 2,865 15.5 −5.6
Majority 7,305 39.4 +24.3
Turnout 18,542 71.1 +5.5
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1970: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 7,896 47.0 −12.1
Conservative John L. Firth 5,364 31.9 +9.6
Labour William Macpherson Reid 3,552 21.1 +2.5
Majority 2,532 15.1 -21.7
Turnout 16,812 65.6 +0.4
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 9,605 59.1 −3.5
Unionist John L. Firth 3,630 22.3 +2.3
Labour Hugh Lynch 3,021 18.6 +1.2
Majority 5,975 36.8 −5.8
Turnout 16,256 65.2 −7.5
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1964: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 11,604 62.6 −1.5
Unionist John L. Firth 3,704 20.0 +1.5
Labour Ian MacInnes 3,232 17.4 ±0.0
Majority 7,900 42.6 -3.0
Turnout 18,540 72.7 +1.4
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 12,099 64.1 +0.3
Unionist Robert Hunter Wingate Bruce 3,487 18.5 −1.9
Labour Robert S. McGowan 3,275 17.4 +1.6
Majority 8,612 45.6 +2.2
Turnout 18,861 71.3 +5.2
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1955: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 11,753 63.8 +6.3
Unionist John W. Eunson 3,760 20.4 -6.2
Labour Edgar Ramsay 2,914 15.8 -0.4
Majority 7,993 43.4 +12.1
Turnout 18,427 66.1 -2.9
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1951: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 11,745 57.5 +10.7
Unionist Archibald Tennant 5,354 26.2 - 5.7
Labour Magnus A. Fairnie 3,335 16.2 - 3.1
Majority 6,391 31.3 +16.4
Turnout 20,434 69.0 +1.4
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1950: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jo Grimond 9,237 46.8 +12.6
Unionist Basil Neven-Spence 6,281 31.9 - 4.1
Labour Harald Leslie 3,335 21.3 - 8.5
Majority 2,956 14.9 N/A
Turnout 19,716 67.7 +12.2
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Basil Neven-Spence 6,304 36.0 -21.6
Liberal Jo Grimond 5,975 34.2 -8.2
Labour Prophet Smith 5,208 29.8 New
Majority 329 1.8 -13.4
Turnout 17,487 55.5 +9.2
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1939–40: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1935: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Basil Neven-Spence 8,406 57.6 New
Liberal Robert Hamilton 6,180 42.4 N/A
Majority 2,226 15.2 N/A
Turnout 14,586 46.3 N/A
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
General election 1931: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Hamilton Unopposed N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Hamilton 8,256 60.4 N/A
Unionist Basil Neven-Spence 5,404 39.6 New
Majority 2,852 20.8 N/A
Turnout 13,660 43.1 N/A
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1924: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Hamilton Unopposed N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1923: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Hamilton 5,129 54.3 + 0.8
Unionist Robert Boothby 4,318 45.7 New
Majority 811 8.6 + 1.6
Turnout 9,447 39.1 + 1.7
Liberal hold Swing
Hamilton
General election 1922: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Hamilton 4,814 53.5 N/A
National Liberal Malcolm Smith 4,189 46.5 New
Majority 625 7.0 N/A
Turnout 9,003 37.4 N/A
Liberal gain from National Liberal Swing
1921 Orkney and Shetland by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Malcolm Smith Unopposed
Liberal hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Cathcart Wason Unopposed
Liberal hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election December 1910: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cathcart Wason Unopposed
Liberal hold
Cathcart Wason
General election January 1910: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cathcart Wason 4,117 80.6 +1.6
Liberal Unionist Thomas William Hemsley 994 19.4 -1.6
Majority 3,123 61.2 +3.2
Turnout 5,111 71.8 +8.5
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cathcart Wason 3,837 79.0 +29.5
Conservative C. J. Dunlop 1,021 21.0 New
Majority 2,816 58.0 N/A
Turnout 4,858 63.3 +8.4
Registered electors 7,680
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +29.5
McKinnon Wood
1902 Orkney and Shetland by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal Cathcart Wason 2,412 46.8 New
Liberal McKinnon Wood 2,001 38.8 -10.7
Liberal Unionist Theodore Vivian Samuel Angier 740 14.4 -36.1
Majority 411 8.0 N/A
Turnout 5,153 68.1 +13.2
Registered electors 7,572
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing
Cathcart Wason
General election 1900: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Cathcart Wason 2,057 50.5 +10.4
Liberal Leonard Lyell 2,017 49.5 -10.4
Majority 40 1.0 N/A
Turnout 4,074 54.9 -1.0
Registered electors 7,420
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +10.4

Elections in the 1890s

Lyell
General election 1895: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leonard Lyell 2,361 59.9 -2.0
Liberal Unionist Ralph Wardlaw MacLeod Fullarton 1,580 40.1 +2.0
Majority 781 19.8 -4.0
Turnout 3,941 55.9 -4.0
Registered electors 7,053
Liberal hold Swing -2.0
General election 1892: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leonard Lyell 2,624 61.9 -1.1
Liberal Unionist William Younger 1,617 38.1 +1.1
Majority 1,007 23.8 -2.2
Turnout 4,241 59.9 +9.4
Registered electors 7,075
Liberal hold Swing -1.1

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leonard Lyell 2,353 63.0 -0.3
Liberal Unionist Henry Hoare 1,382 37.0 New
Majority 971 26.0 -0.6
Turnout 3,735 50.5 -21.1
Registered electors 7,394
Liberal hold Swing -0.3
General election 1885: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leonard Lyell 3,352 63.3 +2.5
Conservative Cospatrick Thomas Dundas 1,940 36.7 -2.5
Majority 1,412 26.6 +5.0
Turnout 5,292 71.6 -14.9
Registered electors 7,394
Liberal hold Swing +2.5
General election 1880: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Samuel Laing 896 60.8 N/A
Conservative George Roy Badenoch 578 39.2 New
Majority 318 21.6 N/A
Turnout 1,474 86.5 N/A
Registered electors 1,704
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Samuel Laing Unopposed
Registered electors 1,618
Liberal hold
By-election, 11 Jan 1873: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Samuel Laing 646 51.0 N/A
Liberal Peter Tait 621 49.0 N/A
Majority 25 2.0 −21.2
Turnout 1,267 82.4 +4.3
Registered electors 1,537
Liberal hold Swing N/A
  • Caused by Dundas' death.

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Dundas 715 61.6 N/A
Conservative Henry Riddell 446 38.4 New
Majority 269 23.2 N/A
Turnout 1,161 78.1 N/A
Registered electors 1,486
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1865: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 685
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 621
Liberal hold
General election 1857: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Frederick Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 615
Whig hold
General election 1852: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Frederick Dundas 227 53.9 -46.1
Conservative John Inglis 194 46.1 New
Majority 33 7.8 +1.2
Turnout 421 64.7 -0.7
Registered electors 651
Whig hold Swing

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Arthur Anderson 209 53.3 N/A
Whig Frederick Dundas 183 46.7 N/A
Majority 26 6.6 N/A
Turnout 392 65.4 N/A
Registered electors 599
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1841: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Frederick Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 526
Whig hold

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Frederick Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 476
Whig gain from Conservative
General election 1835: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Balfour 114 57.6 +12.3
Whig George Traill 84 42.4 −6.1
Majority 30 15.2 N/A
Turnout 198 66.4 −11.5
Registered electors 298
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +9.2
General election 1832: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig George Traill 107 50.5
Tory Samuel Laing 96 45.3
Whig Robert Hunter 9 4.2
Majority 11 5.2
Turnout 212 77.9
Registered electors 272
Whig hold
General election 1831: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig George Traill Unopposed
Registered electors 43
Whig hold
General election 1830: Orkney and Shetland
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig George Traill Unopposed
Registered electors 43
Whig hold

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