Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'It is a privilege to follow the former Prime Minister. However, it is fair to say that he has espoused views that were espoused during the general election campaign; views that led to the Conservative party's representation in Scotland being reduced from 10 seats to no seats - 'Nul points', as one would say in the Eurovision song contest - and which led his party to the biggest defeat in living memory in a British general election.' Ian Davidson MP, Hansard, 4 th March 1998.

Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine

7 th June 2001 Westminster Election

Turnout: 37,914 (61.97 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Liberal Democrat	Sir Robert Smith	16,507	43.54 %	+ 2.46 %
	Conservative	Cllr Tom Kerr	11,686	30.82 %	- 4.10 %
	Labour	Kevin Hutchens	4,669	12.31 %	+ 3.23 %
	Scottish National Party	John Green	4,634	12.22 %	- 0.84 %
<	Scottish Socialist Party	Alan Manley	418	1.10 %	(+ 1.10 %)
	Lib Dem hold	Lib Dem majority	4,821	12.72 %	+ 6.56 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Turnout: 43,189 (73.05 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Liberal Democrat	Sir Robert Smith	17,742	41.08 %	+ 6.41 %
	Conservative	George Kynoch	15,080	34.92 %	- 10.22 %
	Scottish National Party	Joy Mowatt	5,639	13.06 %	+ 0.60 %
	Labour	Qaisra Khan	3,923	9.08 %	+ 2.27 %
	Referendum	Steve Ball	805	1.86 %	(+ 1.86 %)
	Lib Dem gain from Con	Lib Dem majority	2,662	6.16 %

Notional 1992 result

	Conservative	19,123	45.14 %
	Liberal Democrat	14,686	34.67 %
	Scottish National Party	5,280	12.46 %
	Labour	2,886	6.81 %
	Green	381	0.89 %
Conservative win	Con majority	4,437	10.48 %