Scottish Westminster constituencies 1918 to 1950

Overview
1708 to 1832
1832 to 1868
1868 to 1885
1885 to 1918
1918 to 1950
1950 to 1955
1955 to 1974
1974 to 1983
1983 to 1997
1997 to 2005
2005 to 2024
since 2024

Provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1918 included reorganisation of representation in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster), with new constituency boundaries being first used in the 1918 general election.

In Scotland the legislation defined 32 burgh constituencies, 38 county constituencies and one university constituency. One burgh constituency, Dundee, represented seats for two members of parliament (MPs), and the university constituency represented seats for three MPs.

Scottish Westminster constituencies, 1918–1950.

Each of the other constituencies elected one MP. Therefore, the legislation provided parliamentary seats for a total of 74 Scottish MPs.[1]

Constituencies defined by this legislation were used also in the general elections of 1922, 1923, 1924, 1929, 1931, 1935 and 1945.

For the 1950 general election, new boundaries were introduced under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949.[1]

Burgh constituencies

Parliamentary burgh Contents of parliamentary burgh Constituency or constituencies Contents of constituency[1]
Aberdeen County of city of Aberdeen North Greyfriars, St Andrew, St Clement, St Machar, Torry, and Woodside wards
South Ferryhill, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston, and St Nicholas wards
Ayr District of Burghs Burghs of Ayr, Ardrossan, Irvine, Prestwick, Saltcoats, and Troon in county of Ayr Ayr District of Burghs As parliamentary burgh
Dumbarton District of Burghs Burghs of Dumbarton and Clydebank in county of Dumbarton Dumbarton District of Burghs As parliamentary burgh
Dundee County of city of Dundee Dundee, electing two MPs As parliamentary burgh
Dunfermline District of Burghs Burghs of Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath, Inverkeithing, and Lochgelly in county of Fife Dunfermline District of Burghs As parliamentary burgh
Edinburgh County of city of Edinburgh
Burgh of Musselburgh in county of Midlothian 		Central George Square, St Giles', and St Leonard's wards of county of city
East Conongate and Portobello wards of county of city
Burgh of Musselburgh
North Broughton, Calton, St Andrew's, and St Stephen's wards of county of city
South Merchiston, Morningside, and Newington wards of county of city
West Dairy, Gorgie, Haymarket, and St Bernard's wards of county of city
Glasgow County of city of Glasgow Bridgeton Calton and Dalmarnock wards
Camlachie Dennistoun, Mile-End, and Whitevale wards
Cathcart Cathcart, Govanhill, and Langside wards
Central Blythswood, Exchange, and Townhead wards
Gorbals Gorbals and Hutchestontown wards
Govan Fairfield and Govan wards
Hillhead Kelvinside and Partick East wards
Kelvingrove Anderston, Park, and Sandyford wards
Maryhill Maryhill, North Kelvin, and Ruchill wards
Partick Partick West and Whiteinch wards
Pollok Camphill, Pollockshaws, and Pollockshields wards
St. Rollox Cowcadden and Woodside wards
Shettleston Parkhead, and Settleston and Tollcross wards
Springburn Cowlairs, Provan, and Springburn wards
Tradeston Kingston and Kinning Park wards
Greenock Burgh of Greenock in county of Renfrew Greenock As parliamentary burgh
Kirkcaldy District of Burghs Burghs of Kirkcaldy, Fife, Buckhaven, Methil and Innerleven, Burntisland, Dysart and Kinghorn in county of Fife Kirkcaldy District of Burghs As parliamentary burgh
Leith Burgh of Leith in county of Midlothian Leith As parliamentary burgh
Montrose District of Burghs Burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, and Forfar in county of Forfar and burgh of Inverbervie in county of Kincardine Montrose District of Burghs As parliamentary burgh
Paisley Burgh of Paisley in county of Renfrew Paisley As parliamentary burgh
Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs Burghs of Stirling, Falkirk, and Grangemouth in county of Stirling Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs As parliamentary burgh

County constituencies

Parliamentary county Contents of parliamentary county Constituency or constituencies Contents of constituency[1]
Aberdeen and Kincardine County of Aberdeen except portion of county of city of Aberdeen within county
County of Kincardine except portion of county of city of Aberdeen within county and burgh of Inverbervie 		Central Ellon, Garioch, and Huntly districts of county of Aberdeen
Burghs of Ellon, Huntly, Inverurie, Kintore and Old Meldrum in county of Aberdeen
Eastern Deer and Turriff districts of county of Aberdeen
Burghs of Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Rosehearty and Turriff in county of Aberdeen
Kincardine and Western County of Kincardine except burgh of Inverbervie and portion of county of city of Aberdeen within county
Alford and Deeside districts of county of Aberdeen
Burgh of Ballater in county of Aberdeen
Argyll County of Argyll Argyll As parliamentary county
Ayr and Bute County of Ayr except burghs of Ardrossan, Ayr, Irvine, Prestwick, Saltcoats, and Troon
County of Bute 		Bute and Northern County of Bute
Northern Ayr district
Kilmarnock Kilmarnock district of county of Ayr
Burghs of Darvel, Galston, Kilmarnock, and Newmilns and Greenholm in county of Ayr
South Ayrshire Ayr and Carrick districts of county of Ayr
Burghs of Cumnock and Holmhead, Girvan, and Maybole in county of Ayr
Banff County of Banff Banff As parliamentary county
Berwick and Haddington County of Berwick
County of Haddington 		Berwick and Haddington As parliamentary county
Caithness and Sutherland County of Caithness
County of Sutherland 		Caithness and Sutherland As parliamentary county
Dumfries County of Dumfries Dumfries As parliamentary county
Dumbarton County of Dumbarton except burghs of Dumbarton and Clydebank Dumbarton As parliamentary county
Fife County of Fife except burghs of Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath, Inverkeithing, Lochgelly, Kirkcaldy, Buckhaven, Methil and Innerleven, Burntisland, Dysart, and Kinghorn Eastern Cupar and St Andrew's districts
Burghs of Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester, Auchtermuchty, Crail, Cupar, Earlsferry, Elie, Falkland, Kilrenny, Ladybank, Leven, Newburgh, Newport, Pittenweem, St Andrews, and Tayport.
Western Dunfermline district and part of Kirkcaldy district
Burghs of Culross, Leslie, and Markinch
Forfar County of Forfar except county of city of Dundee and burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, and Forfar Forfar As parliamentary county
Galloway County of Kirkcudbright
County of Wigtown 		Galloway As parliamentary county
Inverness and Ross and Cromarty County of Inverness
County of Ross and Cromarty 		Inverness County of Inverness except Outer Hebridean districts (Harris, North Uist, and South Uist)
Ross and Cromarty County of Ross and Cromarty except Outer Hebridean district (Lewis) and burgh (Stornoway)
Western Isles Outer Hebridean districts (Harris, North Uist, and South Uist) of the county of Inverness
Outer Hebridean district (Harris) of the county of Ross and Cromarty
Outer Hebridean burgh of Stornoway in the county of Ross and Cromarty
Lanark County of Lanark except county of city of Glasgow and so much of burgh of Renfrew as within parish of Govan Bothwell Part of Middle Ward district
Coatbridge Burghs of Airdrie and Coatbridge
Hamilton Part of Middle Ward district
Burgh of Hamilton
Lanark Upper Ward district and part of Middle Ward district
Burghs of Biggar and Lanark
Motherwell Part of Middle Ward district
Burghs of Motherwell and Wishaw
Northern Part of Lower Ward district and part of Middle Ward district
Rutherglen Part of Lower Ward district and part of Middle Ward district
Burgh of Rutherglen
Linlithgow County of Linlithgow Linlithgow As parliamentary county
Midlothian and Peebles County of Midlothian except county of city of Edinburgh and burghs of Leith and Musselburgh
County of Peebles 		Northern Calder and Suburban districts and part of Lasswade district of the county of Midlothian
Peebles and Southern County of Peebles
Gala Water district and part of Lasswade district of county of Midlothian
Burghs of Bonnyrigg, Lasswade, and Penicuik in county of Midlothian
Moray and Nairn County of Moray
County of Nairn 		Moray and Nairn As parliamentary county
Orkney and Zetland County of Orkney
County of Zetland 		Orkney and Zetland As parliamentary county
Perth and Kinross County of Perth
County of Kinross 		Kinross and Western County of Kinross
Central, Highland, and Western districts of county of Perth
Burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune and Dunblane in county of Perth
Perth Blairgowrie and Perth districts of county of Perth
Burghs of Abernethy, Alyth, Blairgowrie, Coupar Angus, Perth, and Rattray in county of Perth
Renfrew County of Renfrew except burghs of Greenock and Paisley
So much of burgh of Renfrew as within parish of Govan in county of Lanark 		Eastern Upper district
Burghs of Barrhead and Renfrew
Western Lower district
Burghs of Gourock, Johnstone, and Port Glasgow
Roxburgh and Selkirk County of Roxburgh
County of Selkirk 		Roxburgh and Selkirk As parliamentary county
Stirling and Clackmannan County of Stirling except burghs of Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth
County of Clackmannan 		Clackmannan and Eastern County of Clackmannan
Eastern district of county of Stirling
Western Central and Western districts of county of Stirling
Burghs of Bridge of Allan, Denny and Dunipace, and Kilsyth in county of Stirling

University constituency

Constituency Contents[1]
Combined Scottish Universities, electing three MPs Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St Andrews

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e As per Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972, except Graig omits indication that the burgh of Renfrew was not entirely within the county of the same name