Dunfermline West LAB Hold

Scottish Parliament election

constituency

	Dunfermline West	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	Scott Barrie	LAB	8664	34.3	-9.9
	David Wishart	ICLH	4584	18.2	+18.2
	Brian Goodall	SNP	4372	17.4	-10.4
	Jim Tolson	LD	3636	14.4	-3.8
	Jim Mackie	CON	1868	7.4	-2.3
	Andy Jackson	SSP	923	3.7	+3.7
	Alastair Harper	IND	714	2.8	+2.8
	Damien Quigg	IND	459	1.8	+1.8
		MAJORITY	4080	16.2
		TURNOUT	25240	46.8

ELECTORATE	53915

Top-up region: Mid Scotland and Fife

DESCRIPTION: Dunfermline West

Dunfermline West contains all of the town of Dunfermline as well as territory on the north bank of the Firth of Forth. It was once Scotland's capital city and eight kings are buried there, amongst them Robert the Bruce. Textiles, engineering and the manufacture of synthetic materials are the main industries, although the seat also contains rural areas.

Voters here have been electing Labour MPs since 1935. However, Labour support is not quite as solid here as it is in neighbouring Dunfermline East. The SNP jumped from third to second place here in 1997. The party hopes to capitalise on local disquiet over the decision made by Fife Health Board in March 2002 to close the A&E department at Dunfermline's Queen Margaret Hospital. The nearest casualty department will be at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	13560	44.2
	SNP	8539	27.8
	LD	5591	18.2
	CON	2981	9.7

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	16370	52.8
	SNP	5390	17.4
	LD	4832	15.6
	CON	3166	10.2
	SSP	746	2.4
	UKIP	471	1.5