Election 97

Perth

Current MP Roseanna Cunningham
Conservative 97 13,068
Labour 97 11,036
LibDem 97 3,583
Nationalist 97 16,209
Other 97 289
Elected party
Perth

Robert Waller wrote
Old constituency Perth and Kinross
Conservative 92 18,159
Labour 92 5,922
LibDem 92 5,366
Nationalist 92 15,433
Other 92 0
Elected party Conservative

This is very similar to the Perth and Kinross constituency which existed from 1983 until the most recent boundary changes: it loses just 7,400 voters from the historic and tiny county of Kinross on the western shores of Loch Leven. Perth and Kinross achieved nationwide publicity in May 1995. In the by-election caused by the death of the colourful and eccentric Conservative MP, Sir Nicholas Fairbairn, the winner was Roseanna Cunningham, who thus became the Scottish National Party's fourth MP.

This seat, or at least its predecessor, has been a Conservative - SNP marginal for over 20 years. When Sir Nicholas Fairbairn was first elected, in October 1974, his majority was just 53 votes, and he never won by a country mile. The big question, of course, is whether Roseanna Cunningham can hold Perth in the very different circumstances of a general election. Certainly this is a better bet for the SNP than any of their chances of a completely fresh breakthrough (see Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, North Tayside, and Inverness), although these are far from bad. Probably she should start as favourite.


Super Profiles

2,506 7.60 9.03 84
2,864 8.68 11.17 78
3,962 12.01 11.25 107
3,171 9.61 14.70 65
1,681 5.10 10.45 49
3,254 9.86 2.81 351
3,346 10.14 8.01 127
6,304 19.11 15.25 125
2,853 8.65 7.13 121
3,047 9.24 10.17 91