Na h-Eileanan an Iar
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.
Outgoing 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)
Candidates: 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)
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%
“The Welsh don’t demand York is renamed Efrog….”
Caerefrog for the town – Swydd Efrog for the county…
It’s that “Penistone” I always found funny…
Since about 1 in 5 of the population of Ynys Mon constituency don’t actually live on Ynys Mon, the seat should really be called Sir Fon.
Ynysoedd Mon a Chybi?
Chybi Brown?
Very good Mr Marder!
Re Tolluch Gorum
And then behaved with incredible inertia when the jobs of his constituents at the Uist Range were threatened…?
The plaudits of the press are not the best way of judging the effectiveness of an MP. Neither is self-promoting publicity.
There’s a lot more to the job than that!
There I was, posting on Bury St Ed., talking about “intelligent opinion from David Nettleton”, and then I discover what he has posted here! I take it back!
If the locals don’t have a better name for a place than the name from over the border, then fair enough – let the Welsh speakers call the town Wrecsam, or the English speakers of South Herefordshire talk of Pontrilas and Llangarron (to name a couple of wards – although I wonder how they pronounce them!), or let them call it Grimsby in Lincolnshire (from Danish). But it is a bit much imposing a constituency name on a place just because you can’t pronounce the local name. Should we be giving constituencies north of the Humber different names, just because most people don’t know how to pronounce Ull ?
Dewi, given the language profile of Caergybi, shouldn’t it be Ynys Mon ac Holyhead, to be (in)consistent?
What are we doing discussing yr Iaith Gymraeg this far north anyway?
“Dewi, given the language profile of Caergybi, shouldn’t it be Ynys Mon ac Holyhead, to be (in)consistent?”
Ynysoedd Mon a Chybi – Anglesey and Holy Island (Holyhead still 47% Welsh speaking btw)
“What are we doing discussing yr Iaith Gymraeg this far north anyway? ” No idea – let’s desist…
conservativeDOTcom has got Sheena Norquay as the selected conservative PPC for this seat.