Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'In a speech to the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Dundee, Mr McConnell reminded voters seven years of Labour had produced a 5% rise in waiting lists in Scotland. Although better than the last Tory government, the increase was in stark contrast to the situation south of the border, where lists have fallen 20%.' Tom Gordon, Scottish Political Correspondent, in the Herald, 20 th April 2005.

Aberdeen North

Candidates

	Frank Doran MP
	Labour
	Frank Doran was born in Edinburgh on the 13 th April 1949 and educated at Ainslie Park and Edinburgh Academy before graduating with an LLB from Dundee University. Doran worked as a solicitor before winning Aberdeen South from the Tories in 1987, only to lose it again in 1992. He then worked as a researcher for Joan Ruddock and was selected as Labour candidate for Aberdeen Central beating Bob Hughes who had represented half the new seat, as Aberdeen North, since 1970. In 1997 Doran won Aberdeen Central for Labour, but the new seat disappeared in the 2005 boundary revision and Doran succeeded in replacing Malcolm Savidge as Labour candidate for the new Aberdeen North seat. Doran also stood for the North East Scotland Euro constituency in 1984, coming second with 28.4 %. Ministerial Posts: None Labour positions: 1988 - 1992 Spokesman on Energy 1997 - 1999 Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ian McCartney 1999 - 2001 Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ian McCartney Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster Parliament election, Aberdeen North, 15,557 votes (42.47 %) (elected) 2001 Westminster Parliament election, Aberdeen Central, 12,025 votes (45.50 %) (elected) 1997 Westminster Parliament election, Aberdeen Central, 17,745 votes (49.82 %) (elected) 1992 Westminster Parliament election, Aberdeen South, 14,291 votes (34.78 %) (defeated) 1987 Westminster Parliament election, Aberdeen South, 15,917 votes (37.66 %) (elected) 1984 European Parliament election, North East Scotland, 44,638 votes (28.36 %)
	Cllr Kevin Stewart
	Scottish National Party
	The SNP candidate is Cllr Kevin Stewart. He was born and bred in the Aberdeen North constituency and was educated at Summerhill Academy. He studied at Aberdeen University but did not finish his degree because of funding problems. He joined the SNP in 1992 and worked part-time as a Parliamentary Assistant to Brian Adam the SNP MSP for Aberdeen North. He contested Sheddocksley in 1995 and was the Councillor for Auchmill from 1999 to 2007. In May 2007, he was elected as one of the three Cllrs for Northfield. Kevin was the Chairperson of the Great Northern Social Inclusion Partnership and is a member of Grampian Joint Police Board and North East Scotland Transport Partnership Board. He is currently Convenor of the council's Resources Management Committee and is also a member of the Area Committee North, Resources Management Committee, Policy & Strategy Committee, Continuous Improvement Committee, and the Policy & Strategy (Education) committee. His special interests are regeneration and European Affairs, while his leisure interests include reading and swimming. He has been Leader of the Aberdeen City Council SNP Group since May 1999 and deputy leader of Aberdeen City Council since May 2007. A YouGov poll of 35,000 voters in marginal seats in September 2007 suggested that SNP could win both Aberdeen North and South from Labour. Council positions 2007 - Deputy Leader of Aberdeen City Council Party positions 1999 - Leader of the SNP group on Aberdeen City Council Recent electoral experience 2007 Aberdeen City Council election, Northfield, 1,050 First preference votes (20. 83 %) (elected) 2005 Westminster Parliament election, Aberdeen North, 8,168, (22.30 %) 2003 Aberdeen City Council election, Auchmill, 868 votes (57.10 %) (elected) 1999 Aberdeen City Council election, Auchmill, 871 votes (47.47 %) (elected) 1995 Aberdeen City Council election, Sheddocksley, 363 votes (24.53 %)
	Who?
	Conservative & Unionist
	Recent electoral experience.
	Who?
	Liberal Democrat
	Recent electoral experience

Westminster Election, 5 th May 2005

Electorate 65,714 Turnout: 55.75 %
	Frank Doran MP
	Labour
	Votes	15,557
	%	42.47 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 6.82 % / - 4.96 %
	Cllr Steve Delaney
	Liberal Democrat
	Votes	8,762
	%	23.92 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	+ 11.69 % / + 11.23 %
	Cllr Kevin Stewart
	Scottish National Party
	Votes	8,168
	%	22.30 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 3.33 % / - 4.18 %
	David Anderson
	Conservative & Unionist
	Votes	3,456
	%	9.43 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 1.03 % / - 1.64 %
	John Connan
	Scottish Socialist Party
	Votes	691
	%	1.89 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 0.49 % / - 0.51 %
Notional Labour hold
Labour majority		6,795
% majority		18.55 %
% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)		- 5.11 % / - 2.82 %

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Labour	19,365	49.29 %		17,973	47.43 %
	Scottish National Party	10,071	25.63 %		10,035	26.48 %
	Liberal Democrat	4,806	12.23 %		4,809	12.69 %
	Conservative & Unionist	4,111	10.46 %		4,195	11.07 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	935	2.38 %		878	2.40 %
Notional Labour win	Notional Labour majority	9,294	23.66 %		7,938	21.37 %