Westminster Election, 5 th May 2005

'The local council (Perth & Kinross) is an even bigger problem for the two challengers to the SNP. Boundary changes pushed up the number of wards two years ago. The SNP took 16 seats but the rest - Tories (11), Labour (six), Liberals (six), and independents (two) - formed an anti-nationalist coalition. The administration increased council tax increases, cut services and slid down the Accounts Commission's annual efficiency league table from third to 10th place.' Robbie Dinwoodie in the Herald, 4 th June 2001.

Perth & North Perthshire

Westminster Election, 5 th May 2005

Electorate 70,895 Turnout: 64.79 %
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Scottish National Party	Pete Wishart MP	15,469	33.68 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Douglas Taylor	13,948	30.37 %
	Labour	Doug Maughan	8,601	18.73 %
	Liberal Democrat	Gordon Campbell	7,403	16.12 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Philip Stott	509	1.11 %
	Notional Scottish National Party hold	Scottish National Party majority	1,521	3.31 %

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Scottish National Party	16,416	35.99 %		15,746	36.17 %
	Conservative & Unionist	11,396	24.99 %		11,840	27.20 %
	Labour	11,149	24.44 %		9,720	22.33 %
	Liberal Democrat	5,507	12.07 %		5,259	12.08 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,031	2.26 %		867	1.99 %
	Others	110	0.24 %		105	0.24 %
Notional Scottish National Party win	Notional Scottish National Party majority	5,020	11.00 %		3,906	8.97 %