Argyll and Bute
2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 15786 (36.5%)
Conservative: 10150 (23.5%)
Labour: 9696 (22.4%)
SNP: 6716 (15.5%)
Other: 881 (2%)
Majority: 5636 (13%)
Boundary changes prior to 2005 election.
2001 Result
Conservative: 6436 (20.8%)
Labour: 7592 (24.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 9245 (29.9%)
SNP: 6433 (20.8%)
Other: 1251 (4%)
Majority: 1653 (5.3%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 6774 (19%)
Labour: 5596 (15.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 14359 (40.2%)
SNP: 8278 (23.2%)
Referendum: 713 (2%)
Majority: 6081 (17%)
No Boundary Changes
Profile: A Scottish seat covering a huge swathe of sparsely populated countryside. The seat covers the whole of the Argyll & Bute council area including many Scottish islands such as Mull, Bute, Jura, Tiree, Islay and the religious community on the isle of Iona, the burial place of the early Kings of Scotland. Other industries include tourism, forestry and fishing and, more recently, energy production through the expansion of wind farms. The seat also includes Faslane, the base of the UK`s Trident nuclear armed submarine fleet. The constituency is mainly rural. The two largest towns are the ferry port of Oban and Helensburgh, a commuter town for Glasgow.
In 2001 the seat was a rare example of a true 4-way marginal, with the fourth placed SNP within 10% of the Liberal Democrat winner.
Current MP: Alan Reid (Lib Dem) born 1954. Educated at Ayr Academy and the University of Strathclyde. Single. A former computer project manager and councilor in Renfrewshire for 8 years. He contested Paisley and Renfreshire South in 1992 and Dunbartonshire West in 1997 before being first elected in 2001. He served as a DTI spokesman from 2005-6 and is presently Lib Dem spokesman on Northern Ireland. He back Sir Menzies Campbell in the 2006 leadership election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Gary Mulvaney (Conservative) Chartered accountant, working for a motor trader. Argyll and Bute councillor.
Mike MacKenzie (SNP) born Oban.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 91306
Male: 49.2%
Female: 50.8%
Under 18: 22.2%
Over 60: 24.6%
Born outside UK: 3.5%
White: 99.2%
Asian: 0.2%
Mixed: 0.3%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 69.7%
Graduates 16-74: 22.5%
No Qualifications 16-74: 30.1%
Owner-Occupied: 64.6%
Social Housing: 21.3% (Council: 15.7%, Housing Ass.: 5.6%)
Privately Rented: 10.4%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9.5%
From living in this area, Helensburgh is definitely a Conservative constituency, with some lib dem sections.
However, I dont understand why anybody would claim this going to SNP. I think it is a toss up between the Tories and Lib Dems. What is it about the MP people are complaining about? Personally i think he is invisible.
Euro result for Argyll and Bute:
SNP - 28.8%
Liberal Democrat - 22.0%
Conservative - 19.6%
Labour = 9.2%
Turnout: 35.7%
I read that Iain MacCormick SNP MP for this seat from 1974 to 1979 was one of the original members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), founded in 1981.
Thanks for this result. I think the SNP could be a threat to the LDs (and perhaps the Tories) here.
Labour don’t look likely to challenge in the near future.
I think Joe James is right, I can see it being a fight between the Lib Dems and the Tories.
Labour may challenge again further ahead perhaps if the political situation changes, but it would not appear to be something that will happen for some years.