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Inverness and Nairn

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Inverness and Nairn is a county constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering 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 seat was first created for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, and covers parts of the former seats of Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber and Ross, Skye & Inverness West.

Inverness and Nairn
County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament
Inverness and Nairn shown within the Highlands and Islands electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Electoral regionHighlands and Islands
Electorate67,352 (2026)[1]
Current constituency
Created2011
PartyScottish National Party
MSPEmma Roddick
Council areaHighland
Created fromInverness East, Nairn & Lochaber,
Ross, Skye & Inverness West

From its formation in 2011 until 2026, the seat was held by Fergus Ewing of the Scottish National Party, who was previously the member for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber. Following his departure from the party in June 2025, he was defeated at the Scottish Parliament Election in May 2026 by the SNP's Emma Roddick by a margin of 9.1%. The two pro-independence candidates' combined vote share stood at 51.7%.

Electoral region

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The Inverness and Nairn constituency is part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region; the other seven constituencies are Argyll and Bute, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, 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.[4]

Constituency boundaries and council area

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Map
Map of boundaries (2011-2025)

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.

When first formed ahead of the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the following electoral wards were used to define the seat:

At the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025 the seat boundaries were slightly altered, as the electorate had grown since the last review. To address this, the Badenoch and Strathspey ward was transferred to Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.[5] The main settlements in the area transferred were the villages of Grantown on Spey, Carrbridge, and Boat of Garten.[6][7] The following wards were used to define the seat:[2]

Member of the Scottish Parliament

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ElectionMemberParty
2011 Fergus Ewing SNP
2026 Emma Roddick

Election results

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Inverness & Nairn election results 1999-2021

2020s

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2026 Scottish Parliament election: Inverness and Nairn[8][9][1]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Emma Roddick[a] 11,162 30.4 Decrease17.9 9,660 26.2 Decrease16.8
Liberal Democrats Neil Alexander 10,735 29.2 Increase23.0 9,438 25.7 Increase19.5
Independent Fergus Ewing[b] 7,840 21.3 New[c]
Reform Fred Campbell 3,791 10.3 New 4,710 12.8 Increase12.6
Green 3,819 10.4 Increase3.0
Independent Duncan MacPherson 2,566 7.0 New
Labour Shaun Fraser 1,723 4.7 Decrease7.1 2,383 6.5 Decrease4.7
Conservative Ruraidh Stewart 1,372 3.7 Decrease23.4 2,388 6.5 Decrease19.8
ISP 320 0.9 New
Independent Green Voice 302 0.8 New
Scottish Family 297 0.8 Increase0.1
AtLS 278 0.8 New
Scottish Christian 190 0.5 New
Advance UK Steve Skerrett 110 0.3 New 83 0.2 New
Workers Party 99 0.3 New
Scottish Socialist 79 0.2 New
Scottish Rural Party 66 0.2 New
Scottish Libertarian 33 0.1 Decrease0.1
Independent Mick Rice 32 0.1 New
Majority 427 1.2 Decrease18.8
Valid votes 36,733 36,743
Invalid votes 134 109
Turnout 36,867 54.74 Decrease9.76 36,852 54.7 Decrease9.8
SNP hold Swing
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency
  2. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency
  3. ↑ Fergus Ewing was the incumbent, elected at the previous election as an SNP candidate, but ran as an independent in this election
2021 Scottish Parliament election: Inverness and Nairn[10][11]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Fergus Ewing[a] 21,793 47.7 Decrease0.6 19,688 43.0 Increase0.9
Conservative Edward Mountain[b] 12,679 27.7 Increase7.7 12,045 26.3 Increase4.6
Labour Co-op Rhoda Grant[c][b] 5,370 11.7 Decrease5.8 5,108 11.2 Decrease2.2
Liberal Democrats David Gregg 2,892 6.3 Decrease7.9 2,820 6.2 Decrease3.4
Green Ariane Burgess 2,636 5.8 New 3,392 7.4 Decrease0.8
Alba 754 1.6 New
Independent Andy Wightman[d] 661 1.4 New
Scottish Family 335 0.7 New
All for Unity 279 0.6 New
Freedom Alliance (UK) 155 0.4 New
Restore Scotland Andrew MacDonald 361 0.8 New 130 0.3 N/A
Abolish the Scottish Parliament 108 0.2 New
Reform 100 0.2 New
Scottish Libertarian 76 0.2 New
UKIP 67 0.1 Decrease2.3
TUSC 52 0.1 New
Independent Hazel Mansfield 32 0.1 New
Majority 9,114 20.0 Decrease8.3
Valid votes 45,731 45,802
Invalid votes 137 79
Turnout 45,868 64.5 Increase6.7 45,881 64.5 Increase6.6
SNP hold Swing Decrease4.2
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency
  2. 1 2 Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency
  3. ↑ Grant stood on a joint ticket on behalf of Scottish Labour and the Scottish Co-operative Party. The regional list vote is for Scottish Labour only.
  4. ↑ Incumbent member on the list for Lothian region, having been elected as a member of the Scottish Greens in 2016

2010s

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2016 Scottish Parliament election: Inverness and Nairn[12]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Fergus Ewing[a] 18,505 48.3 Decrease3.2 16,200 42.1 Decrease6.4
Conservative Edward Mountain 7,648 20.0 Increase8.4 8,371 21.7 Increase10.4
Labour David Stewart[b] 6,719 17.5 Decrease4.3 5,162 13.4 Decrease4.4
Liberal Democrats Carolyn Caddick 5,445 14.2 Increase2.7 3,688 9.6 Increase0.1
Green 3,146 8.2 Increase3.3
UKIP 916 2.4 Increase1.0
Scottish Christian 546 1.4 Decrease0.6
Independent James Stockan 174 0.4 New
RISE 171 0.4 New
Solidarity 142 0.4 Increase0.3
Majority 10,857 28.3 Decrease1.4
Valid votes 38,317 38,516
Invalid votes 222 63
Turnout 38,539 57.8 Increase5.0 38,579 57.9 Increase5.1
SNP hold Swing Decrease5.8
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for this constituency
  2. ↑ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency
2011 Scottish Parliament election: Inverness and Nairn[13]
Party Candidate Constituency Regional
Votes % ±% Votes % ±%
SNP Fergus Ewing[a] 16,870 51.5 N/A 15,859 48.5 N/A
Labour David Stewart[b] 7,125 21.8 N/A 5,809 17.8 N/A
Conservative Mary Scanlon[b] 3,797 11.6 N/A 3,684 11.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Christine Jardine 3,763 11.5 N/A 3,113 9.5 N/A
Green 1,588 4.9 N/A
Scottish Christian Donald Boyd 646 2.0 N/A 669 2.0 N/A
UKIP Ross Durance 530 1.6 N/A 448 1.4 N/A
All-Scotland Pensioners Party 405 1.2 N/A
Socialist Labour 334 1.0 N/A
BNP 162 0.5 N/A
Scottish Socialist 84 0.3 N/A
Solidarity 38 0.1 N/A
Others 522 1.6 N/A
Majority 9,745 29.7 N/A
Valid votes 32,731 32,715
Invalid votes 99 99
Turnout 32,830 52.8 N/A 32,814 52.8 N/A
SNP win (new seat)
Notes
  1. ↑ Incumbent member for the Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber constituency
  2. 1 2 Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

References

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Citations

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  1. 1 2 "Results - Scottish Parliament Elections - Highland Council". Highland Council. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 141.
  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 143.
  5. ↑ Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 113-118.
  6. ↑ "Inverness and Nairn constituency map (2025 boundaries)" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "Inverness and Nairn constituency map (2011 boundaries)" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Scottish Parliamentary Election – Constituency Contest Inverness and Nairn Constituency Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Highland Council. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "Highlands and Islands Region:Statement of Persons and Parties Nominated and Notice of Poll". Highland Council. 1 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  10. ↑ Tarrant, Sylvia. "Highland nominations for Scottish Parliamentary Election 2021". www.highland.gov.uk.
  11. ↑ "Scottish Parliamentary Elections 2021 Results". The Highland Council. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "Results and turnout at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 June 2021.

Bibliography

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