Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'Suddenly, there are few good reasons not to contemplate replacing Tony Blair with a more traditional Labour leader.' Tim Luckhurst in the Herald, 25 th January 2001.

Argyll & Bute

Candidates

	Labour	Carolyn Manson
	Scottish National Party	Cllr Isobel Strong
	Conservative & Unionist	James McGrigor MSP
	Liberal Democrat	Alan Reid MP
	Scottish Socialist Party	Deirdre Henderson

Candidates

The Labour candidate is Carolyn Manson.

Conservative candidate Jamie McGrigor, was born in the area and is currently an MSP for the Highlands and Islands. He is also the founding Chairman of the Loch Awe Improvement Association, the Scottish Conservative spokesman on fisheries, and the Deputy Spokesman on Agriculture and Rural Affairs. He contested the Western isles at the 1997 Westminster election, coming third with 6.7 %, at at the 1999 Westminster election, coming third with 7.9 %. At the 2003 Scottish parliamentary elections, he stood for Ross, Skye & Invernss, coming fourth with 13.0 %. At the 1999 Scottish parliamentary election, Jamie McGrigor was first on the Tory list for Highlands & Islands and was elected as the region's first list MSP. He was re-elected as the region's first list MSP in 2003.

The SNP candidate is Cllr Isobel Strong who livs in Rothesay on the isle of Bute. She is the chair of Bute branch of the SNP and represents Bute Central on Argyll & Bute Council. Isobel is Chair of Against Domestic Abuse Partnership, Chair of Bute Safety Forum and Vice Chair of Bute Beyond 2000. She is also a member of Bute and Cowal Area Committee, Education NPDO Project Board, the Housing Stock Transfer and the Public Service and Licensing Committee. Her interests include politics, the environment, economic development, ferries and shinty.

Alan Reid has been Lib Dem MP for Argyll & Bute since 2001 when Ray Michie retired. Born in 1954, he was educated at Ayr Academy and has a BSc from Strathyclyde University. Single and living in Dunoon, he has worked as a computer project manager. His interests include chess, walking and reading. Alan Reid was a Renfrewshire councillor from 1988 until 1996. He contested the Westminster seat of Paisley South at the 1990 by-election, coming fourth with 9.8 % and at the Westminster election of 1992, coming fourth with 9.1 %. In 1997, he contested Dumbarton, coming fourth with 7.6%. He is currently a junior Lib Dem whip.

The SSP candidate is Deirdre Henderson who lives on the Mull of Kintyre near Campbeltown with her husband and daughter. A former stage manager in the theatre, she now works for a voluntary agency. She has campaigned long and hard against student poverty, and has been at the forefront of campaigns against health cuts in Argyll and the illegal war in Iraq. She is currently working to get Argyll & Bute Council to take on the Fairtrade agenda of a fair price for farmers for their goods.

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Liberal Democrat	13,724	32.82 %		12,856	30.51 %
	Conservative & Unionist	9,892	23.66 %		8,871	21.05 %
	Labour	9,493	22.70 %		11,551	27.42 %
	Scottish National Party	7,295	17.45 %		7,435	17.65 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,410	3.37 %		1,420	3.10 %
Notional Liberal Democrat win	Notional Liberal Democrat majority	3,832	9.16 %		1,305	3.10 %

Local Government wards in the constituency

This constituency consists of the old Argyll & Bute constituency plus 10 wards from the old Dumbarton constituency. The constituency now covers the whole Argyll & Bute local government area.