Orkney and Shetland () is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election and has been represented by Alistair Carmichael of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since 2001. In the Scottish Parliament, Orkney and Shetland are separate constituencies. The constituency was historically known as Orkney and Zetland (an alternative name for Shetland).

In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, 65.4% of the constituency's electors voted for Scotland to stay part of the United Kingdom.

Creation The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Orkney & Zetland.

Boundaries The constituency is made up of the two northernmost island groups of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland. A constituency of this name has existed continuously since 1708. However, before 1918 the town of Kirkwall (the capital of Orkney) formed part of the Northern Burghs constituency. It is the most northerly of the 650 UK Parliament constituencies.

The constituency is one of five "protected constituencies", the others being Na h-Eileanan an Iar, two on the Isle of Wight, and Ynys Môn, defined exclusively by geography rather than by size of electorate. The constituency contains the areas of the Orkney Islands Council and the Shetland Islands Council. Before 2011 the constituency had been unique in having its boundaries protected by legislation.Rule 3A of the Boundary Commission rules stated "A constituency which includes the Orkney Islands or the Shetland Islands shall not include the whole or any part of a local government area other than the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands." Boundary Commission Rules This rule was added in the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 and retained in the Scotland Act 1998, which established the Scottish Parliament.

The constituency has the second smallest electorate of any UK parliamentary constituency, after Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

History The constituency has elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post since its creation in 1707.

Although called Orkney and Shetland, prior to the Scottish Reform Act 1832 there were no eligible voters from Shetland. This was due to the land tenure and valuation structures used in Shetland, which meant no-one could show that they met the property qualification to be eligible to vote. This was a source of resentment in Shetland; its residents made several attempts to argue that some different form of valuation should be acceptable to show eligibility, but they were unsuccessful until the wider reforms of 1832.

The constituency has remained largely unchanged since its creation. The town of Kirkwall was added in 1918, having previously been part of Wick Burghs.

Members of Parliament The constituency has elected only Liberal and Liberal Democrat MPs since 1950; the longest run of any British parliamentary constituency.. alba.org.uk - "The almanac of Scottish elections and politics". Retrieved 9 February 2010."The Untouchable Orkney & Shetland Isles " (1 October 2009) www.snptacticalvoting.com Retrieved 9 February 2010. At each general election from 1955 until 1979, in 1987, 2010 and again in 2017 it was the safest Liberal Democrat seat in the UK. At the 2015 general election, it was the only seat in Scotland to return a Liberal Democrat MP.

YearMemberParty 1707 Sir Alexander Douglas 1713 George Douglas 1715 James Moodie 1722 George Douglas 1730 by-election Robert Douglas 1747 James Halyburton 1754 James Douglas 1768 Thomas Dundas I 1771 by-election Thomas Dundas II 1780 Robert Baikie 1781 Charles Dundas 1784 Thomas Dundas II 1790 John Balfour Tory 1796 Capt. Robert Honyman I 1806 Col. Robert Honyman II 1807 Malcolm Laing Whig 1812 Richard Honyman 1818 George Dundas 1820 John Balfour 1826 George Dundas Whig 1830 George Traill 1835 Thomas Balfour Conservative 1837 Frederick DundasWhig 1847 Arthur Anderson 1852 Frederick Dundas 1859 Liberal 1873 by-election Samuel Laing 1885 Leonard Lyell 1900 Cathcart Wason Liberal Unionist 1902 by-election Independent Liberal 1906 Liberal 1916 Coalition Liberal 1921 by-election Malcolm Smith Jan 1922 National Liberal Nov 1922 Robert Hamilton Liberal 1935 Basil Neven-Spence Unionist 1950 Jo Grimond Liberal 1983 Jim Wallace 1988Liberal Democrat 2001 Alistair Carmichael

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s General election 1939–40: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Basil Neven-Spence Liberal: Louise Glen-Coats

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1870s

Caused by Dundas' death.

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1830s

References

Further reading F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918 – 1949 F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1885 – 1918 F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832 – 1885

External links

BBC Vote 2001 BBC Election 2005 Guardian Unlimited Politics UK general elections since 1832 Politicsresources.net - Official Web Site ✔ (Election results from 1950 to the present) Orkney and Shetland UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2005 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Orkney and Shetland UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK