South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (November 2011)

South of Scotland Scottish Parliament electoral region
The South of Scotland region shown within Scotland
Created 1999
Abolished 2011
Constituencies Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Cunninghame South Dumfries East Lothian Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Roxburgh and Berwickshire Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
Council areas East Ayrshire (part) East Lothian (part) Dumfries and Galloway Midlothian (part) North Ayrshire (part) Scottish Borders South Ayrshire South Lanarkshire (part)

South of Scotland was one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament when it was created in 1999. The region was replaced with South Scotland in 2011 following a review.^[1]

Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies were sub-divisions of the region and it elected seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Thus it elected a total of 16 MSPs.

The region had boundaries with the West of Scotland, Central Scotland and Lothians regions.

The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing in at that time.^[2] They cover all of three council areas,^[3] the Scottish Borders council area, the Dumfries and Galloway council area and the South Ayrshire council area, and parts of five others, the East Ayrshire council area, the East Lothian council area, the Midlothian council area, the North Ayrshire council area and the South Lanarkshire council area:

Constituency	Map
Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Cunninghame South Dumfries East Lothian Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Roxburgh and Berwickshire Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

The rest of the East Ayrshire council area is within the Central Scotland electoral region, the rest of the East Lothian and Midlothian council areas are within the Lothians region, the rest of the North Ayrshire council area is within the West of Scotland region and the rest of the South Lanarkshire council area is divided between the Central Scotland and Glasgow regions.

N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only

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

• 5 Labour MSPs (all constituency members)
• 5 Scottish National Party MSPs (all additional members)
• 4 Conservative MSPs (three constituency members and one additional member)
• 2 Liberal Democrat MSPs (one constituency member and one additional member)

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

• 5 Labour MSPs (all constituency members)
• 4 Conservative MSP (two constituency members and two additional members)
• 3 Scottish National Party MSPs (all additional members)
• 2 Liberal Democrat MSPs (both constituency members)
• 1 Scottish Greens MSP (additional member)
• 1 Scottish Socialist Party MSP (additional member)

Changes

• Derek Brownlee replaced David Mundell. Mundell resigned as an MSP in June 2005 following his election to Westminster in the 2005 general election. Brownlee was next on the Conservative list.
• Rosemary Byrne resigned from the Scottish Socialist Party in September 2006 and then sat as a member of Solidarity.

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

• 6 Labour MSPs (all constituency members)
• 4 Scottish National Party MSPs (one constituency member and three additional members)
• 4 Conservative MSPs (all additional members)
• 2 Liberal Democrat MSPs (both constituency members)

Changes:

• On 21 December 1999 Ian Welsh resigned, citing family reasons. He was the first MSP to resign, and as of 2005 remains the shortest serving MSP serving 230 days. At the subsequent Ayr by-election in 2000, John Scott won the seat for the Conservatives.