Ochil SNP Gain

Scottish Parliament election

constituency

	Ochil	SNP Gain

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	George Reid	SNP	11659	38.3	+0.1
	Richard Simpson	LAB	11363	37.4	-4.4
	Malcolm Parkin	CON	2946	9.7	-1.6
	Catherine Whittingham	LD	2536	8.3	-0.5
	Felicity Garvie	SSP	1102	3.6	+3.6
	Flash Gordon Approaching	MRLP	432	1.4	+1.4
	William Whyte	IND	378	1.2	+1.2
		MAJORITY	296	1.0
		TURNOUT	30416	54.7

ELECTORATE	55596

Top-up region: Mid Scotland and Fife

DESCRIPTION: Ochil

Lying between the River Forth and the Ochil Hills, this seat is rural but mostly industrial in character. Brewing, distilling, glass manufacture and bottling are the main industries, with tourism and agriculture also playing a part. The most affluent areas are also the Tory wards. Bridge of Allan is home to wealthy commuters to Stirling and further afield, whilst Dollar has, in its Academy, one of Scotland's most renowned private schools. But the majority of inhabitants are working-class.

This is one of Labour's most vulnerable seats. Its predecessor Clackmannan & East Stirlingshire was held at Westminster by George Reid for the SNP between February 1974 and 1979. He returned to fight Ochil in 1997, halving the majority of the sitting Labour MP Martin O'Neill. Labour's Richard Simpson narrowly won the Holyrood seat in1999 with a majority of 1,303 over the strong challenge of Mr Reid, who went on to become an MSP via the regional list, and deputy presiding officer. Dr Simpson became deputy justice minister but had to resign last year after reports that he described striking firefighters as fascist bastards.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	15385	41.7
	SNP	14082	38.2
	CON	4151	11.3
	LD	3249	8.8

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	16004	45.3
	SNP	10655	30.2
	CON	4235	12
	LD	3253	9.2
	SSP	751	2.1
	MRLP	405	1.1