South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

South Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament. Ten of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the region elects seven regional Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), in addition to the ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole, which thus elects a total of 17 MSPs.

South Scotland
electoral region for the Scottish Parliament
South Scotland shown within Scotland
Electorate	594,925 (2022)[1]
Current electoral region
Created	2011
MSPs	Scottish National Party 7 Scottish Conservative Party 6 Labour 3
Council areas	Dumfries and Galloway East Ayrshire (part) Midlothian (part) Scottish Borders South Ayrshire South Lanarkshire (part)
Constituencies	Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Dumfriesshire East Kilbride Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Galloway and West Dumfries Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale

The region was created as a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries in 2011, and largely replaced the South of Scotland region. As defined at the 2011 review, the South Scotland region covered the Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and South Ayrshire council areas in full and parts of the East Lothian, Midlothian and South Lanarkshire council areas, and covered nine constituencies.^[2] Following the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, the boundaries of the region were altered, and it now covers ten constituencies. The region now covers the whole of the council areas of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, and South Ayrshire; and parts of the council areas of East Ayrshire, Midlothian, and South Lanarkshire.^[3] By population it is now the largest of Scotland's eight electoral regions.^[1]

Constituencies and local government areas

2026–present

As a result of the Second Periodic Review in 2025, the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. South Scotland underwent considerable changes, with East Lothian being transferred to the new Edinburgh and Lothians East region, and the region gaining the East Kilbride and Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituencies from the former Central Scotland. Additionally, the region lost a small portion of the East Ayrshire council area to the West Scotland region due to a boundary changes of the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency.^[4][5]

2011–2026

Map of boundaries from 2011

As a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.

Region	Constituencies
		Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Dumfriesshire East Lothian Galloway and West Dumfries Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale

1999–2011

Prior to the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries, the area which previously encompassed much of the South Scotland electoral region was known as the 'South of Scotland' electoral region. The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing in at that time.^[6]

The First Past the Post constituencies can be found below:

Region	Constituencies
		Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Cunninghame South Dumfries East Lothian Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Roxburgh and Berwickshire Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

The region covered the following local government areas: In full:

• Scottish Borders
• South Ayrshire
• Dumfries and Galloway

In part:

• East Ayrshire
• East Lothian
• Midlothian
• North Ayrshire
• South Lanarkshire

Members of the Scottish Parliament

Constituency MSPs

as South of Scotland
Term	Election	Ayr		Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley		Clydesdale		Galloway and Upper Nithsdale		Dumfries		Roxburgh and Berwickshire		Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale		East Lothian		area formerly within the Central Scotland Region prior to 2011		Cunninghame South
1st	1999		Ian Welsh (Labour)		Cathy Jamieson (Labour)		Karen Gillon (Labour)		Alasdair Morgan (SNP)		Elaine Murray (Labour)		Euan Robson (LD)		Ian Jenkins (LD)		John Home Robertson (Labour)				Irene Oldfather (Labour)
	2000 by		John Scott (Conservative)
2nd	2003								Alex Fergusson (Conservative)						Jeremy Purvis (LD)
3rd	2007												John Lamont (Conservative)				Iain Gray (Labour)
as South Scotland
Term	Election	Ayr		Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley		Clydesdale		Galloway and West Dumfries		Dumfriesshire		Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire		Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale		East Lothian		Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley		area covered by former constituency moved to the West Scotland Region from 2011
4th	2011		John Scott (Conservative)		Adam Ingram (SNP)		Aileen Campbell (SNP)		Alex Fergusson (Conservative)		Elaine Murray (Labour)		John Lamont (Conservative)		Christine Grahame (SNP)		Iain Gray (Labour)		Willie Coffey (SNP)
5th	2016				Jeane Freeman (SNP)				Finlay Carson (Conservative)		Oliver Mundell (Conservative)
	2017 by												Rachael Hamilton (Conservative)
6th	2021		Siobhian Brown (SNP)		Elena Whitham (SNP)		Màiri McAllan (SNP)										Paul McLennan (SNP)

Regional List MSPs

N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only

Parliament	MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP		MSP
as South of Scotland
1st (1999–2003)		Phil Gallie (Conservative)		Alex Fergusson (Conservative)		Christine Grahame (SNP)		Michael Russell (SNP)		Adam Ingram (SNP)		Murray Tosh (Conservative)		David Mundell (Conservative)
2nd (2003–07)				Rosemary Byrne (Socialist)				Alasdair Morgan (SNP)				Chris Ballance (Green)
														Derek Brownlee (Conservative)
3rd (2007–11)		Michael Russell (SNP)		Jim Hume (Lib Dem)								Aileen Campbell (SNP)
as South Scotland
4th (2011–16)		Chic Brodie (SNP)		Jim Hume (Lib Dem)		Joan McAlpine (SNP)		Aileen McLeod (SNP)		Paul Wheelhouse (SNP)		Claudia Beamish (Labour)		Graeme Pearson (Labour)
5th (2016–2021)		Rachael Hamilton (Conservative)		Brian Whittle (Conservative)				Emma Harper (SNP)						Colin Smyth (Labour)
		Michelle Ballantyne (Conservative, then Reform UK)
6th (2021–)		Craig Hoy (Conservative)				Sharon Dowey (Conservative)				Carol Mochan (Labour)		Martin Whitfield (Labour)

Election results

2026 Scottish Parliament election

Main article: 2026 Scottish Parliament election

2026 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland
List		Candidates	Votes	Of total (%)	± from prev.
	SNP
	Conservative
	Labour
	Green	Laura Moodie, Ann McGuinness, Dominic Ashmole, Neil MacKinnon, Barbra Harvie, Cameron Garrett, Tim Clancey, Tom Kerr, Korin Vallance
	Liberal Democrats	Duncan Dunlop, Ray Georgeson, Aisha Mir, Richard Brodie, Charlotte Olcay
	Reform
	Alba

2021 Scottish Parliament election

In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 7 Scottish National Party MSPs (6 constituency members and 1 additional member)
• 3 Labour MSPs (additional members)
• 6 Conservative MSPs (3 constituency members and 3 additional member)

Constituency results

2021 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Ayr	Siobhian Brown	SNP gain from Conservative
	Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley	Elena Whitham	SNP hold
	Clydesdale	Màiri McAllan	SNP hold
	Dumfriesshire	Oliver Mundell	Conservative hold
	East Lothian	Paul McLennan	SNP gain from Labour
	Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire	Rachael Hamilton	Conservative hold
	Galloway and West Dumfries	Finlay Carson	Conservative hold
	Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley	Willie Coffey	SNP hold
	Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale	Christine Grahame	SNP hold

Additional Member results

2021 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland[7][8]
List		Candidates	Votes	Of total (%)	± from prev.
	SNP	Emma Harper, Joan McAlpine, Paul Wheelhouse, Màiri McAllan, Richard Walker, Heather Anderson, Siobhian Brown, Stacy Bradley, Paul McLennan, Ali Salamati, Stephen Thompson, Laura Brennan-Whitefield	136,741	37.6	0.7
	Conservative	Oliver Mundell, Rachael Hamilton, Craig Hoy, Brian Whittle, Sharon Dowey, Shona Haslam, Finlay Carson, Scott Hamilton, Alex Allison, Eric Holford, Alexandra Herdman, John Denerley	121,730	33.5	1.4
	Labour	Colin Smyth, Carol Mochan, Martin Whitfield, Claudia Beamish, Kevin McGregor, Katherine Sangster, Ian Davidson	57,236	15.7	2.1
	Green	Laura Moodie, Barbra Harvie, Dominic Ashmole, Katherine Malone, Charles Strang, Ciara Campbell, Peter Barlow, James Puchowski, Tristan Gray	18,964	5.2	0.5
	Liberal Democrats	Catriona Bhatia, Jenny Marr	12,422	3.4	0.3
	All for Unity	George Galloway, Jamie Blackett, Dr Bruce Halliday, Jim Grindlay, Kirsteen Michell, Elspeth Grindlay, Malcolm MacDonald	5,521	1.5	1.5
	Alba	Cynthia Guthrie, Corri Wilson, Suzanne Blackley, Laurie Flynn	3,896	1.1	1.1
	Independent Green Voice	Maxwell Dunbar	1,690	0.5	0.5
	Scottish Family	Charles McEwan, Dorothy Yost, Sophie Hendry, Theresa Gavin, Elizabeth Fabisiak	1,659	0.5	0.5
	Abolish the Scottish Parliament	John Ferguson, Simon Bellord	1,126	0.3	0.3
	Reform	Michelle Ballantyne, David Kirkwood, James Corbett, William Luke	779	0.2	0.2
	Freedom Alliance	Mandy Blackman, Amanda McConechy, Gillian Jamieson, Joy Rivett-Gill	686	0.2	0.2
	UKIP	Richard Elvin, Julia Searle, Patricia Mountain, Patricia Bryant, Nick Hollis, David Blaymires	578	0.2	2.0
	Scottish Libertarian	Stef Johnstone	534	0.1	0.1
	Scotia Future	Chic Brodie	194	0.1	0.1
	Vanguard	Michael Banks	92	0.0	0.0

2016 Scottish Parliament election

In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 7 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency members and three additional members)
• 6 Conservative MSPs (four constituency members and two additional members)
• 3 Labour MSPs (one constituency member and two additional members)

Constituency results

2016 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Ayr	John Scott	Conservative hold
	Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley	Jeane Freeman	SNP hold
	Clydesdale	Aileen Campbell	SNP hold
	Dumfriesshire	Oliver Mundell	Conservative gain from Labour
	East Lothian	Iain Gray	Labour hold
	Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire	John Lamont	Conservative hold
	Galloway and West Dumfries	Finlay Carson	Conservative hold
	Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley	Willie Coffey	SNP hold
	Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale	Christine Grahame	SNP hold

Additional member results

2016 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	Joan McAlpine Paul Wheelhouse Emma Harper	3	-1	120,217	38.3	-2.7
	Conservative	Rachael Hamilton Brian Whittle	2	+2	100,753	32.1	+12.6
	Labour	Claudia Beamish Colin Smyth	2	±0	56,072	17.8	-7.5
	Green		0	±0	14,773	4.7	+1.6
	Liberal Democrats		0	-1	11,775	3.7	-1.7
	UKIP		0	±0	6,726	2.1	+1.0
	Clydesdale and South Scotland Independent		0	±0	1,485	0.5	N/A
	Solidarity		0	±0	1,294	0.4	+0.1
	RISE		0	±0	1,097	0.3	N/A

2011 Scottish Parliament election

In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

• 8 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency members and four additional members)
• 4 Labour MSPs (two constituency members and two additional members)
• 3 Conservative MSPs (all constituency members)
• 1 Liberal Democrat MSP (additional member)

Constituency results

2011 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland
Constituency		Elected member	Result
	Ayr	John Scott	Conservative hold
	Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley	Adam Ingram	SNP gain from Labour
	Clydesdale	Aileen Campbell	SNP gain from Labour
	Dumfriesshire	Elaine Murray	Labour gain from Conservative
	East Lothian	Iain Gray	Labour hold
	Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire	John Lamont	Conservative hold
	Galloway and West Dumfries	Alex Fergusson	Conservative hold
	Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley	Willie Coffey	SNP hold
	Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale	Christine Grahame	SNP hold

Additional member results

2011 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland
Party		Elected candidates	Seats	+/−	Votes	%	+/−%
	SNP	Joan McAlpine Aileen McLeod Paul Wheelhouse Chic Brodie	4	-1	114,270	41.0	+12.4
	Labour	Claudia Beamish Graeme Pearson	2	+2	70,596	25.3	-3.5
	Conservative		0	-1	54,352	19.5	-2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Jim Hume	1	±0	15,096	5.4	-4.5
	Green		0	±0	8,656	3.1	-0.3
	Scottish Senior Citizens		0	±0	4,418	1.6	-0.4
	UKIP		0	±0	3,343	1.2	+0.6
	Socialist Labour		0	±0	2,906	1.0	+0.5
	BNP		0	±0	2,017	0.7	-0.4
	Scottish Christian		0	±0	1,924	0.7	-0.1
	Solidarity		0	±0	813	0.3	-0.7
	Scottish Socialist		0	±0	697	0.2	-0.2