Ayrshire Central
2005 Results:
Labour: 19905 (46.4%)
Conservative: 9482 (22.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 6881 (16.1%)
SNP: 4969 (11.6%)
Other: 1634 (3.8%)
Majority: 10423 (24.3%)
Boundary changes prior to 2005 electionEM631: Name of seat changed from Cunninghame South.
2001 Result
Conservative: 2682 (9.6%)
Labour: 16424 (58.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 2094 (7.5%)
SNP: 5194 (18.5%)
Other: 1615 (5.8%)
Majority: 11230 (40.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 3571 (10.1%)
Labour: 22233 (62.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 1604 (4.5%)
SNP: 7364 (20.8%)
Referendum: 178 (0.5%)
Other: 494 (1.4%)
Majority: 14869 (42%)
No Boundary Changes
Current MP: Brian H Donohoe (Labour) (more information at They work for you)
Candidates:
Phil Gallie (Conservative) born 1939, Portsmouth. Educated at Dunfermline High School and Rosyth Dockyard Technical College. Foemr electrical fitter. Cunninghame councillor 1980-1984. MP for Ayr from 1992 until 1997. Chairman of the Scottish Conservative party 1995-1997. MSP for South Scotland 1999-2007. Contested Ayr 2001.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 88006
Male: 47.6%
Female: 52.4%
Under 18: 23.3%
Over 60: 21.5%
Born outside UK: 2.2%
White: 99.2%
Asian: 0.3%
Other: 0.3%
Christian: 70%
Full time students: 0%
Graduates 16-74: 16.5%
No Qualifications 16-74: 34.6%
Owner-Occupied: 66.2%
Social Housing: 26.4% (Council: 22.8%, Housing Ass.: 3.6%)
Privately Rented: 3.9%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 2.5%
25 Responses
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I suppose, Barnaby, it depends on whether you view logic as absolute and universal, or relative and highly subjective. If it’s the latter, then Ian gets a minor let-off. Though there would still be questions about how his logic has developed.
Anyway, to steep this back to topic (sort of), I was under the impression that Gallie was wanting to stand for the European Parliament in 2009. Does anyone know if that’s still on? I suppose it would be tempting to go for the ‘hat trick’ of MP, MSP and MEP. Though I’m not sure that he’d appreciate me saying that if he were successful, he’d be following in the footsteps of Winnie Ewing!
October 18th, 2007 at 5:29 pmA problem for Phil Gallie in getting into the European Parliament is that the number of Scottish MEPs looks like being reduced by one. On the basis of the last result the loser would have been John Purvis who was number two on the Conservative list. JP is retiring (which would make his list place available to Phil Gallie) but, so far as I know, Struan Stevenson is not. As he is likely to be number one (again) on the Tory list that would mean the Tories would have to gain more votes than Labour or the SNP to get the second seat and return Purvis’s successor. A pretty tough prospect.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:55 pmA further problem for Gallie is that the Tories have reportedly made plans for the second place on the list to go to a female candidate. That would put Gallie at best third, which is a nigh-on impossible prospect.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:50 pmPhil Gallie also stood in Cunninghame South in 1983 and Dunfermline West in 1987.
February 24th, 2008 at 8:02 pmI suppose it is just possible to envisage a Tory victory here - if the SNP increase their share by 15% to 26.6%, and the Tories increase their vote by 5% to 27.1%. If all those increases come from Labour, they’d be down 20% to 26.4%, but it’s almost impossible to think it would actually happen.
February 24th, 2008 at 8:12 pmI very much doubt if this is on the Scottish Tories’ target list for the next general election.
February 24th, 2008 at 9:52 pmLewisham Deptford
This seat could, if Labour crumble badly, start to resemble a three-way marginal, if both Gallie and the Nats eat into the Labour vote and hold down the LDs. But it’s difficult to see Labour going below 35% at the very worst in one go, and that should ensure they hold the seat.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:37 amBournemouth West
My prediction for this seat;
Labour 18500
August 10th, 2008 at 2:05 pmCons 13500
SNP 9000
Lib Dem 4000
Others 1500
I read Phil Gallie wanted to be an MEP on wikipedia, and I had wondered why he stood dow from the scottish parliament. I think his candidacy will help the Conservatives who ought to remain (at least) 2nd. I wonder why he didn’t resign from the SP to stand in the Ayr by-election? I had to admire him standing in 1999 and 2001 in the seat he’d lost as it showed he was something of a tryer and didn’t just disappear after the Labour landslide, although he didn’t seem to have much luck beyond his shock 1992 victory. He’s no spring chicken either so will he ever make it to the great noble corridors of power in Brussels?
August 10th, 2008 at 11:25 pm“Fiery Phil” has always delivered results distinctly superior to those of his party in Scotland. This was certainly the case when he held Ayr in 92 and also in 97 when he restricted Labour to one of their lowest swings - and he also had a great result when he stood in Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley sometime later. This is not to predict an actual gain here, but he will make it interesting at the very least.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:30 amPages: « 1 [2] Show All