Na h-Eileanan an Iar
2010 Results:
Conservative: 647 (4.4%)
Labour: 4838 (32.87%)
Liberal Democrat: 1097 (7.45%)
SNP: 6723 (45.68%)
Independent: 1412 (9.59%)
Majority: 1885 (12.81%)
2005 Results:
SNP: 6213 (44.9%)
Labour: 4772 (34.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 1096 (7.9%)
Operation Christian Voice: 1048 (7.6%)
Conservative: 610 (4.4%)
SSP: 97 (0.7%)
Majority: 1441 (10.4%)
Boundary changes prior to 2005 election: Name of seat changed from Western Isles.
2001 Result
Conservative: 1250 (9.5%)
Labour: 5924 (45%)
Liberal Democrat: 849 (6.5%)
SNP: 4850 (36.9%)
Other: 286 (2.2%)
Majority: 1074 (8.2%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 1071 (6.6%)
Labour: 8955 (55.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 495 (3.1%)
SNP: 5379 (33.4%)
Referendum: 206 (1.3%)
Majority: 3576 (22.2%)
No Boundary Changes:
Profile: Na h-Eileanan an lar was renamed from the Western Isles in 2005. The seat covers the Outer Hebridies, the further reaches of the archipeligo off the coast of North-Western Scotland, including the islands of Lewis and Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Barra, Benbecula, Scalpay, Great Bernera, Grimsay and the uninhabited St Kilda. The only town on the Outer Hebridies is the fishing port of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, from where ferries sail to the mainland. Stornoway also has an airport with services to the mainland.
The seat is socially as well as geographically somewhat isolated: Gaelic is widely spoken, the Western Isles are the only area in Scotland were over 60% of people speak Gaelic. Sunday Observance is also still widely observed on the Islands, particularly in the Northern islands, with a widespread refusal to trade or travel on the Sabbath, due to the continuing strength of the Free Church and Free Presbyterian Church. In 2006 considerable controversey was caused with the opening of a ferry service to Lewis that operated on Sundays.
Na h-Eileanan an lar has the smallest electorate of any seat in the country with just over 20,000 voters, only a third of the size of most constituencies. Attempts to link the counstituency with others have always foundered on the geographical size of the area and problems of travel and communications for the MP.
Politically the seat has been a marginal between the SNP and Labour since the war. In 2005 it was one of only two seats where the Conservatives lost their deposit, finishing behind the Christian Vote party (see also Blaneau Gwent). In the 1975 referendum on continued membership of the European Union, the Western Isles and Shetland Isles were the only areas to vote no.
Current MP: Angus MacNeil(SNP) born 1970. Educated at Nicholson Institute, Stornoway and Strathclyde University. Worked for the BBC and subsequently as a primary school teacher on Barra. A native speaker of Gaelic. Contested Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber in 2001. First elected for Na h-Eileanan an lar in 2005. MacNeil brough the original complaint that lead to the police investigation into “loans for peerages” (more information at They work for you)
Sheena Norquay (Conservative)Donald John Macsween (Labour) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar councillor Jean Davis (Liberal Democrat) Educated at Maghull Grammar School. Medical doctor. Occupational health advisor. Angus MacNeil(SNP) born 1970. Educated at Nicholson Institute, Stornoway and Strathclyde University. Worked for the BBC and subsequently as a primary school teacher on Barra. A native speaker of Gaelic. Contested Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber in 2001. First elected for Na h-Eileanan an lar in 2005. MacNeil brough the original complaint that lead to the police investigation into “loans for peerages” (more information at They work for you)Murdo Murray (Independent)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 26502
Male: 49.4%
Female: 50.6%
Under 18: 22.3%
Over 60: 26%
Born outside UK: 2%
White: 99.4%
Asian: 0.3%
Mixed: 0.2%
Christian: 83.3%
Graduates 16-74: 18.5%
No Qualifications 16-74: 37.6%
Owner-Occupied: 71.9%
Social Housing: 17.3% (Council: 16.4%, Housing Ass.: 0.9%)
Privately Rented: 6.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9.8%
“Half members? Dual roles? Are you people mad?”
There have been far worse ideas – pre-1832, there were alternating constituencies, such as Buteshire and Caithness, where one seat voted in one general election, and the other in the next. I’ve no idea how they handled a by-election…
“Combining – as I have suggested before – the Western Isles with Skye, is the least worst option”
The problem there is that the population would still be very small – the entire population of all the Scottish islands is under 100,000, of which more than 30,000 are in Orkney and Shetland, and around 15,000 down in the Firth of Clyde. Realistically, this is either given special status as a kind of rotten borough, or it needs to be combined with somewhere on the mainland (and quite possibly some of the Inner Hebrides, too).
The objections will of course be that the mainland and the islands are different in character, and communications are not great – but many constituencies include areas very different in character, and surely communication difficulties can not be insurmountable? Otherwise, the Isles of Scilly would need their own seat…
Western Isles, Skye… and then maybe add the Small Isles and the bits along the “Highland Line” route to Mallaig ? That really would cause an expense claim or two in travel costs….
If this seat were to be combined with, say, the Isle of Skye who would win? Or would it becom an SNP/Liberal Democrat marginal? Would it be any better for the Tories? Would it be bad for Labour?
well i doubt it could be much worse for the tories than on current boundaries!
The Outer Hebridies was once divided between two Scottish Counties.
Lewis was once part of Ross & Cromarty and the Southern Islands were part of Inverness-Shire.
Ross & Cromarty and Inverness-shire were twinned as early as 1918 to have this third constituency.
How about a Hebridies Constituency that also included the Inner Hebridies as well (Skye, Mull, Jura, Islay ect) or what about The Hebridies & Buteshire?
Bute, Arran and the Cumbraes (all on the Firth of Clyde) once formed the County of Buteshire.
‘The Hebridies’ or ‘The Hebridies & Buteshire’ (which would be every Scottish Island appart from Orkney & Shetland) would surely be closely contested by the SNP and the Lib Dems?
The Outer Hebridies was once divided between two Scottish Counties.
Lewis was once part of Ross & Cromarty and the Southern Islands were part of Inverness-Shire.
Ross & Cromarty and Inverness-shire were twinned as early as 1918 to have this third constituency.
How about a Hebridies Constituency that also included the Inner Hebridies as well (Skye, Mull, Jura, Islay ect) or what about The Hebridies & Buteshire?
Bute, Arran and the Cumbraes (all on the Firth of Clyde) once formed the County of Buteshire.
‘The Hebridies’ or ‘The Hebridies & Buteshire’ (which would be every Scottish Island appart from Orkney & Shetland) would surely be very closely contested by the SNP and the Lib Dems?
Looks like any such redrawings are heading for the back burner now:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/scotland_politics/10516046.stm
I was disappointed to find out that this seat will retain its protected status in the forthcoming boundary review. If we are to have constituencies elsewhere drawn up with a pretty rigid quota of 80,000 voters then this seat will have even more of the appearance of a rotten borough than is currently the case. Given that, as has been mentioned above, there is a historical precedent for these islands being included in mainland constituencies what exactly is the problem with doing the same now?
On a completely different subject, does anyone know if the form of AV being put forward in next year’s referendum will be of a kind where, as in Australia, voters must rank all the candidates, or will voters be able to express a preference for as few candidates as they wish?
Totally agree with you about this seat Kieran it is a travestty that as you say this will be even more over-represented than hitherto.
On your other point I am certainly not aware of any plans to demand that voters must rank all candidates. I personally think this would be objectionable as voters should be free to make as many or as few preferences as they like. (why should I for example be forced to say that I prefer Labour or the Green party or Respect, for example, when I find all extremely obnoxious, albeit maybe some more than others)
Surely AV is bad enough without being forced to express a preference, even if its last for the bnp.
I agree if there were any element of compulsion it would be particularly objectionable. I did, as it happens, enjoy putting Hazel Blears last in the deputy leadership election, but can’t see any justification for being forced to make certain choices.
The problem with not forcing people to express a preference for more than one candidate is that if lots of people only give a number one preference then the switch from FPTP to AV becomes pretty meaningless. The more people do that the less likely it is that the winning candidate will have the support of a majority of the votes cast, thus negating one of the main arguments cited in favour of a switch to AV.
The fact that there exists the potential for AV to cease to function properly if voters are not compelled to express more than one preference is to me one of the two clinching arguments for opposing its introduction. The other being the potential of such a system to ensure the anhillation of a nationally unpopular political party that nevertheless enjoys the support of a significant portion of the electorate. Democracy would not have been well served had Labour in 1983 or the Tories in 1997 been reduced to fewer than a hundred MPs, as would have been probable had either election
been conducted under AV.
Going back to this seat, I see no reason why someone’s vote should in effect be worth several times more than mine simply because they choose to live on an isolated, treeless, windswept island stuck out in the North Atlantic.
Realistically though, how can you force someone to use all their preferences? You can’t discount a vote if someone doesn’t and it seems a waste of time (as well as objectionable) if your have to show your ballot paper to a polling officer?
They do in Australia. Obviously you wouldn’t have to show your ballot to a polling officer but it would get rejected at the counting stage if that were the requirement for a valid ballot
Well guys, its official: we’re staying by ourselves
http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/Boundaries–39victory-for-common.6401356.jp