Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)
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Aberdeen South Burgh constituency
Aberdeen South shown within Scotland
Created:	1885
MP:	Anne Begg
Party:	Labour
Type:	House of Commons
Council areas:	City of Aberdeen
EP constituency:	Scotland

Aberdeen South is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It was first used in the 1985 general election, but has undergone various boundary changes since that date.

There is also an Aberdeen South Holyrood constituency, a constituency of the Scottish Parliament¹, created in 1999 with the boundaries of the Westminster constituency of at that time.

Boundaries

Council areas grouped by the Fifth Review

Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire

Current

As redefined by the Fifth Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, and subsequently first used in the 2005 general election,² Aberdeen South is entirely within the Aberdeen City council area and one of five constituencies covering that council area and the Aberdeenshire council area.

To the south and west of Aberdeen South there is West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, which is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area. To the north there is Aberdeen North which, like Aberdeen South is entirely within the Aberdeen City area. Further north there is Gordon, which covers part of the Aberdeen City area and part of the Aberdeenshire area. To the north of Gordon there is Banff and Buchan which, like West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area.

Historic

1885 to 1918

From 1832 to 1885 there was a single Aberdeen constituency. Prior to 1832, the burgh of Aberdeen had been represented as a component of the Aberdeen Burghs constituency.

When Aberdeen South was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and first used in the 1885 general election, so was Aberdeen North. Aberdeen South then consisted of the municipal wards of St Nicholas, Rosemount, Rubislaw and Ferryhill, and the 9th Parliamentary Polling District.³ The rest of the county of Aberdeen was covered by the county constituencies of Eastern Aberdeenshire and Western Aberdeenshire.⁴

The same boundaries were used in the 1886 general election, the 1892 general election, the 1895 general election, the 1900 general election, the 1906 general election, the January 1910 general election and the December 1910 general election.

1918 to 1950

In 1918 constituency boundaries were redefined by the Representation of the People Act 1918. By then the City of Aberdeen had been created and, together with Aberdeen North, Aberdeen South became one of two constituencies covering the city (which was one of four counties of cities in Scotland) and entirely within the city. The new boundaries were first used in the 1918 general election, and Aberdeen South then consisted of the wards of Ferryhill, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and St Nicholas.⁴ The county of Aberdeen was covered by Aberdeen and Kincardine East, Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire. East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county of Aberdeen. Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire covered the county of Kincardine minus the burgh of Inverbervie, which was covered by Montrose Burghs, and part of the county of Aberdeen.

The same boundaries were used in the 1922 general elecion, the 1923 general election, the 1924 general election, the 1929 general election, the 1931 general election, the 1935 general election and the 1945 general election.

1950 to 1955

For the 1950 general election boundaries were redefined again, by the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949. A new list of wards defined Aberdeen South - Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and Torry⁴ - but the City of Aberdeen remained a two-constituency city, divided between Aberdeen South and Aberdeen North, with both constituencies entirely within the city.

The county of Aberdeen was now again divided between East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire, with both of these constituencies entirely within the county.

The same boundaries were used for the 1951 general election.

1955 to 1983

By the time of the 1955 general election, a boundary review had taken account of a small enlargement of the city area. However, the same list of wards - Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston and Torry⁴ - continued to define Aberdeen South, and the same boundaries were used for the 1959 general election, the 1964 general election, the 1966 general election, the 1970 general election, the February 1974 general election and the October 1974 general election.

In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties were abolished, and the City of Aberdeen was enlarged to included areas formerly within the county of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine. Also, the city became a district within the Grampian region. The enlarged city included areas covered by the constituencies of West Aberdeenshire and North Angus and Mearns. North Angus and Mearns had been created in 1950 to cover the county of Kincardine and part of the county of Angus.

The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.

1983 to 1997

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The 1983 general election, the 1987 general election and the 1992 general election took place during this period.

In 1996, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, local government regions and districts were abolished and the city became one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. Also, the name of the city became, officially, Aberdeen City.

1997 to 2005

As redefined for the 1997 general election Aberdeen South was one of three constituencies covering and entirely within the Aberdeen City area, the other two being Aberdeen North and Aberdeen Central. Aberdeen South shared boundaries with both of the other two constituencies.

The same boundaries were used for the 2001 general election.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 1880s

General election, 1886 - James Bryce re-elected unopposed. ⁶

Elections in the 1890s

By-election, 23 August 1892 - James Bryce re-elected unopposed

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 2000s

Notes and references

1. ^ The boundaries of Holyrood constituencies remain as when the constituencies were created in 1999
   Holyrood refers to the fact that the Scottish Parliament Building is in the Holyrood area of Edinburgh
   See also Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
2. ^ Boundary Commission for Scotland website
   See also List of UK Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland
3. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972
5. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
6. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
7. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
8. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
9. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
10. ^ Whitaker's Almanack 1963
11. ^ Aberdeen South, UKPollingReport

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