Kinross and Western Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)

The constituency was first defined by the Representation of the People Act 1918, and first used in the 1918 general election, as one of two county constituencies covering the county of Kinross and the county of Perth. The other was the Perth constituency.Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 ({{ISBN|0-900178-09-4}}), F. W. S. Craig 1972

Prior to the 1918 election the county of Kinross was covered, nominally, by Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, which also covered, nominally, the county of Clackmannan, and the county of Perth was covered, nominally, by Eastern Perthshire, Perth (as a burgh constituency) and Western Perthshire. Constituency boundaries were defined in terms of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832 and the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and, by these terms, five detached parishes of the county of Perth and one detached parish of the county of Stirling were within the Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire constituency. Also, by 1918, for local government purposes, under legislation dating from 1889, county boundaries throughout most of Scotland had been redrawn, and detached parishes had become generally historic.

The Representation of the People Act 1918 took account of new local government boundaries in definitions of new constituency boundaries, and the Kinross and Western Perthshire constituency was defined as covering the county of Kinross and the Central, Highland and Western districts of the county of Perth, including the county of Perth burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune and Dunblane.

1918 boundaries were used also for the general elections of 1922, 1923, 1924, 1929, 1931, 1935 and 1945.

A by-election was held for this seat in 1938 after The Duchess of Atholl resigned her seat in opposition to Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement.

For the 1950 general election, as a result of the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949, the Perth constituency became Perth and East Perthshire, but boundaries were unaltered. 1950 names and boundaries were used also for the general elections of 1951, 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966 and 1970. This also applied to the by-election of late 1963, when newly elected prime minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home won the seat after renouncing his peerage in order to rejoin the House of Commons.{{cite web |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/sir-alec-douglas-home-2/ |title=Sir Alec Douglas-Home - Number 10 |access-date=2011-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011184646/http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/sir-alec-douglas-home-2/ |archive-date=2011-10-11 }}

For the February 1974 general election, as a result of the Second Periodical Review of the Boundary Commission, there were minor alterations to the boundaries of the Kinross and West Perthshire constituency and the Perth and East Perthshire constituency. Kinross and West Perthshire was defined as covering the county of Kinross and the Central, Highland and Western districts of the county of Perth, including the county of Perth burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune, Dunblane and Pitlochry.

February 1974 boundaries were used also in the general elections of October 1974 and 1979.

In 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties and burghs throughout Scotland had been abolished in favour of regions and districts and islands council areas. The county of Kinross and most of the county of Perth had been merged into the Tayside region. The burghs of Callander, Doune, and Dunblane in the county of Perth, the Perth parish of Muckhart and the Western district of the county (except the electoral division of Ardoch) had been merged into the Central region.

New constituency boundaries, taking account of new local government boundaries, were adopted for the 1983 general election. Constituencies defined to cover the Tayside region included Perth and Kinross, and constituencies designed to cover the Central region included Stirling.

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1918: Kinross and Western Perthshire Whitaker's Almanack, 1920}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = James Gardiner

|votes = 7,579

|percentage = 52.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link coalition 1918|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate =Archibald Stirling

|votes = 6,975

|percentage = 47.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 604

|percentage = 4.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 14,554

|percentage = 60.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 23,888

}}

{{Election box new seat win

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

}}

{{election box end 1918}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1922: Kinross and Western Perthshire The Times, 17 November 1922}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)

|candidate = James Gardiner

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)

}}

{{election box end}}

File:Percy Molteno.jpg

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1923: Kinross and Western Perthshire The Times, 8 December 1923}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = Katharine Stewart-Murray

|votes = 9,235

|percentage = 50.4

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Percy Molteno

|votes = 9,085

|percentage = 49.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 150

|percentage = 0.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 18,320

|percentage = 72.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 25,221

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|loser = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

File:Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl.jpg

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1924: Kinross and Western Perthshire Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = Katharine Stewart-Murray

|votes = 13,565

|percentage = 72.0

|change = +21.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = John MacDiarmid

|votes = 5,286

|percentage = 28.0

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,279

|percentage = 44.0

|change = +43.2

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 18,851

|percentage = 72.6

|change = 0.0

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 25,978

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1929: Kinross and Western Perthshire The Times, 1 June 1929

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate =Katharine Stewart-Murray

|votes = 12,245

|percentage = 48.6

|change = −23.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = George Freeland Barbour

|votes = 9,128

|percentage = 36.2

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = W.D. Stewart

|votes = 3,834

|percentage = 15.2

|change = −12.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 3,117

|percentage = 12.4

|change = −31.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 25,207

|percentage = 75.5

|change = +2.9

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 33,408

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing = −5.3

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1931: Kinross and Western PerthshireWhitaker's Almanack, 1934

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate =Katharine Stewart-Murray

|votes = 16,228

|percentage = 60.6

|change = +12.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = T. Atholl Robertson

|votes = 10,533

|percentage =39.4

|change = +3.2

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,695

|percentage = 21.2

|change = +8.8

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 26,781

|percentage = 79.0

|change = +3.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing = +4.4

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1935: Kinross and Western Perthshire Whitaker's Almanack, 1939}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate =Katharine Stewart-Murray

|votes = 15,238

|percentage = 60.2

|change = -0.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Mary Isabella MacDonald

|votes = 10,069

|percentage = 39.8

|change = +0.4

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,169

|percentage = 20.4

|change = -0.8

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 25,307

|percentage = 73.9

|change = -5.1

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing = -0.4

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=1938 Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = William McNair Snadden

|votes = 11,808

|percentage = 52.9

|change = -8.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate =Katharine Stewart-Murray

|votes = 10,495

|percentage = 47.1

|change = -13.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,313

|percentage = 5.8

|change = -14.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 22,303

|percentage = 66.6

|change = -6.7

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

General Election 1939–40:

Another General Election was due to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for that election and by autumn 1939, the following candidates had been selected:

• Unionist: William McNair Snadden
• Liberal: Mary Isabella MacDonaldPerthshire Advertiser 6 May 1939

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1945: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = William McNair Snadden

|votes = 16,536

|percentage = 68.0

|change = +15.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = C. McKinnon

|votes = 7,782

|percentage = 32.0

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,754

|percentage = 36.0

|change = +30.2

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 24,318

|percentage = 67.6

|change = +1.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1950: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = William McNair Snadden

|votes = 15,299

|percentage = 55.4

|change = -12.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Ian Alistair Duncan Millar

|votes = 7,183

|percentage = 26.0

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = D. McLaren

|votes = 5,124

|percentage = 18.6

|change = -13.4

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,116

|percentage = 29.4

|change = -6.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 27,606

|percentage = 76.9

|change = +9.3

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1951: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = William McNair Snadden

|votes = 19,625

|percentage = 76.2

|change = +20.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Isobel McGregor

|votes = 6,124

|percentage = 23.8

|change = +5.2

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 13,501

|percentage = 52.4

|change = +23.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 25,749

|percentage = 73.2

|change = -3.7

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1955: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = Gilmour Leburn

|votes = 18,133

|percentage = 75.2

|change = -1.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = John Bayne

|votes = 5,975

|percentage = 24.8

|change = +1.0

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 12,158

|percentage = 50.4

|change = -2.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 24,108

|percentage = 70.4

|change = -2.8

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1959: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = Gilmour Leburn

|votes = 16,256

|percentage = 68.2

|change = -7.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Gregor Mackenzie

|votes = 4,008

|percentage = 16.8

|change = -8.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Arthur Donaldson

|votes = 3,568

|percentage = 15.0

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 12,248

|percentage = 51.4

|change = +1.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 23,832

|percentage = 71.0

|change = +0.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

File:Alec Douglas-Home (c1963).jpg

{{Election box begin | title=1963 Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = Alec Douglas-Home

|votes = 14,147

|percentage = 57.4

|change = -10.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = Ian Alistair Duncan Millar

|votes = 4,819

|percentage = 19.5

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Andrew Forrester

|votes = 3,752

|percentage = 15.2

|change = -1.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Arthur Donaldson

|votes = 1,801

|percentage = 7.3

|change = -7.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent Unionist

|candidate = Ian Smith

|votes = 78

|percentage = 0.3

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Willie Rushton

|votes = 45

|percentage = 0.2

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = Light and Dark Blue Conservative Party

|candidate = Richard Wort

|votes = 23

|percentage = 0.1

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 9,328

|percentage = 37.9

|change = -13.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 24,665

|percentage = 76.1

|change = +5.1

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1964: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|candidate = Alec Douglas-Home

|votes = 16,659

|percentage = 66.6

|change = -1.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Andrew Forrester

|votes = 4,687

|percentage = 18.8

|change = +2.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Arthur Donaldson

|votes = 3,522

|percentage = 14.1

|change = -0.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Communist Party of Great Britain

|candidate = Hugh MacDiarmid

|votes = 127

|percentage = 0.5

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 11,972

|percentage = 47.8

|change = -3.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 24,995

|percentage = 75.9

|change = +4.9

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)

|swing =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1966: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Alec Douglas-Home

|votes = 14,466

|percentage = 60.8

|change = -5.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Arthur Donaldson

|votes = 4,884

|percentage = 20.5

|change = +6.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Brian K. Parnell

|votes = 4,461

|percentage = 18.7

|change = -0.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 9,582

|percentage = 40.3

|change = -7.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 23,811

|percentage = 73.5

|change = -2.4

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +2.95

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1970: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Alec Douglas-Home

|votes = 14,434

|percentage = 57.4

|change = -3.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Elizabeth Y. Whitley

|votes = 4,670

|percentage = 18.6

|change = -1.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate =Donald Leach

|votes = 3,827

|percentage = 15.2

|change = -3.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = John Calder

|votes = 2,228

|percentage = 8.9

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 9,764

|percentage = 38.8

|change = -1.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 25,159

|percentage = 74.0

|change = +0.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +0.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election February 1974: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Alec Douglas-Home

|votes = 14,356

|percentage = 52.9

|change = -4.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Duncan C. Murray

|votes = 6,274

|percentage = 23.1

|change = +4.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = David A. Barrie

|votes = 3,807

|percentage = 14.0

|change = +5.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Danus Skene

|votes = 2,694

|percentage = 9.9

|change = -5.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 8,082

|percentage = 29.8

|change = -9.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 27,131

|percentage = 77.5

|change = +3.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = -4.5

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election October 1974: Kinross and Western Perthshire}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Nicholas Fairbairn

|votes = 11,034

|percentage = 41.7

|change = -11.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Derek Cameron

|votes = 10,981

|percentage = 41.5

|change = +18.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = David A. Barrie

|votes = 2,427

|percentage = 9.2

|change = -4.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = Danus Skene

|votes = 2,028

|percentage = 7.6

|change = -2.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 53

|percentage = 0.2

|change = -27.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 26,470

|percentage = 75.1

|change = -2.4

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = -14.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election 1979: Kinross and Western Perthshire

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Nicholas Fairbairn

|votes = 15,523

|percentage = 50.5

|change = +8.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Ian Smith

|votes = 9,045

|percentage = 29.4

|change = -12.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = J. Chapman

|votes = 3,572

|percentage = 11.6

|change = +2.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = D.R. Macleod

|votes = 2,593

|percentage = 8.4

|change = +0.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 6,478

|percentage = 21.1

|change = +19.9

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 30,733

|percentage = 79.5

|change = +4.4

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +10.4

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|uk}}

{{s-break}}

{{s-vac|reason=20 October – 8 November 1963|last=Bromley}}

{{s-ttl|title=Constituency represented by the prime minister|years=1963–1964}}

{{s-aft|after=Huyton}}

{{s-bef|before=Huyton}}

{{s-ttl|title=Constituency represented by the leader of the opposition|years=1964–1965}}

{{s-aft|after=Bexley}}

{{s-end}}

{{Scottish Westminster constituencies}}

{{Scottish Westminster constituencies 1950–1955

}}

Category:Historic parliamentary constituencies in Scotland (Westminster)

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1918

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983

Category:Alec Douglas-Home