Caithness, Sutherland and Ross

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross shown within the Highlands and Islands electoral region, and the region shown within Scotland
Electoral regionHighlands and Islands
Electorate56,542 (2026)[1]
Current constituency
Created2011
PartyScottish Liberal Democrats
MSPDavid Green
Council areaHighland
Created fromCaithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross,
Ross, Skye & Inverness West

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Gaelic: Gallaibh, Cataibh agus Ros) is a county constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering the northern part of the Highland council area.[2] It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, it is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.[3]

The constituency was formed for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, and replaced Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross and part of Ross, Skye and Inverness West. It was retained unchanged following the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025.[4]

The seat has been held by David Green of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

Electoral region

The Caithness, Sutherland and Ross constituency is part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region. The other seven constituencies in this region are Argyll and Bute, Inverness and Nairn, Moray, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.[3] The region covers most of Argyll and Bute council area, all of the Highland council area, most of the Moray council area, all of the Orkney Islands council area, all of the Shetland Islands council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.[5]

Constituency boundaries and council area

The Highland council area is represented in the Scottish Parliament by three constituencies. These are: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn; and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

The following electoral wards of the Highland Council electoral wards were used to redefine the seat at the second review of Scottish Parliament boundaries:[2]

Member of the Scottish Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
2011 Rob Gibson SNP
2016 Gail Ross
2021 Maree Todd
2026 David Green Lib Dem

Election results

2020s

2026 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[6][7][8][1]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Green 14,666 48.0 Increase 11.9 10,538 34.5 Increase 13.3
SNP Maree Todd[a] 9,574 31.4 Decrease 11.7 7,561 24.7 Decrease 13.7
Reform Steven Welsh 3,900 12.8 New 4,695 15.4 Increase 15.1
Green 2,502 8.2 Increase 2.6
Conservative Donald Mackenzie 1,117 3.7 Decrease 10.3 1,903 6.2 Decrease 15.2
Labour Eva Kestner 894 2.9 Decrease 2.6 1,400 4.6 Decrease 2.9
Independent Duncan MacPherson 543 1.8 New
AtLS Andrew MacDonald[b] 264 0.9 New 237 0.8 New
Independent Green Voice 218 0.7 New
Scottish Family 212 0.7 Increase 0.1
ISP 178 0.6 New
Scottish Christian 147 0.5 New
Scottish Rural Party 143 0.5 New
Advance UK Matt Sheppard 112 0.4 New 72 0.2 New
Scottish Socialist 69 0.2 New
Scottish Libertarian 64 0.2 Decrease 0.1
Workers Party 50 0.2 New
Independent Mick Rice 37 0.1 New
Majority 5,092 16.6 Increase9.6
Valid votes 30,527 30,569
Invalid votes 112 72
Turnout 30,639 54.19 Decrease 10.61 30,641 54.2 Decrease 10.7
Liberal Democrats gain from SNP Swing Increase 11.9
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency
  2. ↑ MacDonald is standing on a joint ticket on behalf of Sovereignty and the Alliance to Liberate Scotland.
2021 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[9][10]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Maree Todd[a] 15,889 43.1 Decrease0.2 14,201 38.5 Decrease1.3
Liberal Democrats Molly Nolan 13,298 36.1 Increase5.0 7,818 21.2 Increase4.2
Conservative Struan Mackie 5,170 14.0 Decrease1.3 7,905 21.4 Increase1.7
Labour Marion Donaldson 2,016 5.5 Decrease4.9 2,745 7.4 Decrease3.3
Green 2,052 5.6 Decrease0.4
Alba 640 1.7 New
Independent Andy Wightman[b] 461 1.2 New
Scottish Family 235 0.6 New
All for Unity 227 0.6 New
Freedom Alliance (UK) Tina McCaffery 289 0.8 New 115 0.3 New
Scottish Libertarian Harry Christian 222 0.6 New 131 0.4 New
Abolish the Scottish Parliament 121 0.3 New
Reform 103 0.3 New
UKIP 67 0.2 Decrease2.9
TUSC 54 0.1 New
Restore Scotland 39 0.1 New
Independent Hazel Mansfield 17 0.0 New
Majority 2,591 7.0 Decrease5.2
Valid votes 36,884 36,931
Invalid votes 101 63
Turnout 36,985 64.8 Increase6.2 36,994 64.9 Increase6.2
SNP hold Swing Decrease2.6
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency
  2. ↑ Incumbent member on the list for Lothian region, having been elected as a member of the Scottish Greens in 2016

2010s

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[11]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Gail Ross 13,937 43.3 Decrease5.1 12,853 39.8 Decrease6.3
Liberal Democrats Jamie Stone 10,024 31.1 Increase8.8 5,499 17.0 Increase2.7
Conservative Struan Mackie 4,912 15.3 Increase5.0 6,361 19.7 Increase10.5
Labour Leah Franchetti 3,334 10.4 Decrease8.6 3,467 10.7 Decrease5.1
Green 1,951 6.0 Increase1.4
UKIP 1,005 3.1 Increase1.5
Scottish Christian 494 1.5 Decrease0.5
Independent James Stockan 380 1.2 New
RISE 182 0.6 New
Solidarity 110 0.3 Increase0.2
Majority 3,913 12.2 Decrease17.2
Valid votes 32,207 32,302
Invalid votes 137 59
Turnout 32,344 58.6 Increase6.5 32,361 58.7 Increase6.6
SNP hold Swing Decrease7.0
2011 Scottish Parliament election: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross[12]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Rob Gibson[a] 13,843 48.4 N/A 13,185 46.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Robbie Rowantree 6,385 22.3 N/A 4,081 14.3 N/A
Labour John MacKay 5,438 19.0 N/A 4,523 15.8 N/A
Conservative Edward Mountain 2,934 10.3 N/A 2,647 9.2 N/A
Green 1,327 4.6 N/A
All-Scotland Pensioners Party 650 2.3 N/A
Scottish Christian 583 2.0 N/A
UKIP 469 1.6 N/A
Socialist Labour 253 0.9 N/A
BNP 179 0.6 N/A
Scottish Socialist 77 0.3 N/A
Solidarity 20 0.1 N/A
Others 623 2.2 N/A
Majority 7,458 29.4 N/A
Valid votes 28,600 28,617
Invalid votes 142 126
Turnout 28,742 52.1 N/A 28,743 52.1 N/A
SNP win (new seat)
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

Footnotes

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Results sheets for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election". Highland Council. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 140.
  3. 1 2 Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 28.
  4. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 116.
  5. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 143.
  6. ↑ "Scottish Parliamentary Election – Constituency Contest Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Constituency Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Highland Council. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Highlands and Islands Region:Statement of Persons and Parties Nominated and Notice of Poll". Highland Council. 1 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Results - Scottish Parliament Elections - Highland Council". Highland Council. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  9. ↑ Butlin, Heather. "Scottish Parliamentary Elections". www.highland.gov.uk.
  10. ↑ "Scottish Parliamentary Elections: 2021 Results". The Highland Council. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Council, The Highland. "The Highland Council download - Scottish Parliamentary election 2016 | Council and government | Politicians, elections and democracy | Elections and voting". www.highland.gov.uk.
  12. ↑ "Results and turnout at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 June 2021.

Bibliography

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