Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'The true losers [in this system] are the Scots, trapped in the squalor of dependency. A people who were once a byword for enterprise and thrift are now reliant on handouts.' Daily Telegraph editorial, 24 th June 2006.

Cunninghame South (South of Scotland Region)

Candidates

	Iain Dale (Also number 5 on South of Scotland list)
	Liberal Democrat
	Iain Dale was born in Irvine in 1961 and comes from an "auld Irvine" family. He was educated at John Galt Primary, Irvine Royal Academy, Teesside Polytechnic and Suffolk & Great Yarmouth College of Nursing. He has been employed as Liaison Officer to Elspeth Attwooll, Member of the European Parliament for Scotland, for the last three and a half years. He previously worked as a specialist International Directory Enquiries Operator at BT's Bourtreehill Exchange. Other employment experience has included: Pub Management, Mental Health Nursing, Fundraising for Liberal Democrat Calling, Local Government and Life Insurance sales. His Father, John, ran his own roofing and roughcasting business for many years in the town. Iain was second cousin to the last Provost of Irvine, Alex Rubie, with Rubie being Iain's middle name. Iain is in a committed relationship with Catherine, who is a Pensions Manager and a Liberal Democrat campaigner in Kinross-Shire. He has a teenage son, from his former marriage, who lives in England. Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Cunninghame South, 1,505 votes (6.61 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Third on Lib Dem South of Scotland list, 27,026 votes (10.26 %)
	Irene Oldfather MSP (Not standing on South of Scotland list)
	Labour
	Irene Oldfather was born in Glasgow in 1954 and educated at Irvine Royal Academy and Strathclyde University where she graduated with a BA(Hons) in Politics and an MSc in United States Politics. From 1980 until 1990 she worked as a Researcher/Policy analyst then from 1990-1997 as Political Researcher for Alex Smith the Labour MEP for South of Scotland. From 1994 until 1998 she was a Freelance journalist covering European affairs and from 1996 to1998 she was a Politics lecturer at Paisley University. She also served as a Kilwinning councillor from 1995 until her election to the parliament in 1999. She also previously worked as a freelance journalist and a university lecturer. She is an alternate member of the Committee of the Regions and Deputy Convenor of the Parliament's European and External Relations Committee. She is a member of the TGWU and the NUJ, lives in the constituency with her family, and in her spare time enjoys reading, good food and watching ballet. Ministerial Positions None Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Cunninghame South, 11,165 votes (49.03 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliament election,Cunninghame South, 14,936 votes (52.82 %) (elected) 1995 North Ayrshire Council election, Kilwinning East, 787 votes (58.51 %) (elected)
	Pat McPhee (Not standing on South of Scotland list)
	Conservative & Unionist
	Pat McPhee was Conservative election agent for Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock and Central Ayrshire at the 2005 Westminster election. Recent electoral experience.
	Dr Duncan Ross (Also number 8 on South of Scotland list)
	Scottish National Party
	Duncan joined the SNP in 1987 and has held numerous positions at Branch and Constituency level. Currently he is a member of Glasgow West End branch and secretary of Glasgow Kelvin Constituency Association. He is also a member of the SNP's Standing Orders and Agenda Committee and of the Discipline Committee of the Party. In June 2006 he was elected SNP National Secretary to replace Alasdair Allan, who resigned from his post to relocate to Lewis in order to fight the Western Isles seat. Dr Ross stood for election to Glasgow City Council in 1999 and 2003 and was a candidate in the European election of 2004. Duncan was educated at the University of Glasgow and the London School of Economics. He has taught economics and management at universities in England, Sweden and New Zealand. He returned to Scotland in 1997, and is currently in the Department of Economic and Social History at the University of Glasgow, where he recently completed a term as Head of School of History and Archaeology. Upon his election as SNP National Secretary Dr Ross said "The next year is an important one for the Party as we prepare to win the Scottish Parliament election. I look forward to playing my part in the SNP's success next year as National Secretary." Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster election, Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill, 5,206 votes (13.58 %) 2004 European election, Eighth on the SNP national list, 231,505 votes (19.67 %) 2003 Glasgow City Council election, Hayburn, 561 votes (20.07 %) 1999 Glasgow City Council election, Toryglen, 591 votes (22.88 %)

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 42 (51 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 13.34 % from Labour to Scottish National Party

Rank on Conservative hit list: 57 (59 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 19.39 % from Labour to Conservative

Rank on Liberal Democrat hit list: 47 (53 in 2003)
Swing required for Liberal Democrat gain: 21.21 % from Labour to Liberal Democrat

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 50,394 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Ayrshire Central 32,760
Ayrshire North & Arran 17,634

Local Government wards in the constituency

Previous results

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 49,877. Turnout 22,772, 45.66 % (- 10.40 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Irene Oldfather MSP	11,165	49.03 %	- 3.79 %
	Scottish National Party	Michael Russell MSP	5,089	22.35 %	- 7.34 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Rosemary Byrne	2,677	11.76 %	(+ 11.76 %)
	Conservative & Unionist	Andrew Brocklehurst	2,336	10.26 %	- 1.16 %
	Liberal Democrat	Iain Dale	1,505	6.61 %	+ 0.54 %
	Labour hold	Labour majority	6,076	26.68 %	+ 3.55 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 49,877. Turnout 22,773, 45.66 % 110 rejected ballot papers
Logo	Party	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	9,428	41.40 %	+ 0.36 %
	Scottish National Party	4,882	21.44 %	- 8.58 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	2,550	11.20 %	+ 8.46 %
	Conservative & Unionist	2,311	10.15 %	- 1.09 %
	Liberal Democrats	1,202	5.28 %	- 0.31 %
	Scottish Green Party	925	4.06 %	+ 2.07 %
	Pensioners Party	877	3.85 %	(+ 3.85 %)
	Socialist Labour Party	375	1.65 %	4.61 %
	UK Independence Party	141	0.62 %	(+ 0.62 %)
	Scottish Peoples Alliance	64	0.28 %	(+ 0.28 %)
	Am Partaidh Dhuthchail The Rural Party	18	0.08 %	(+ 0.08 %)
	Labour majority	4,546	19.96 %	+ 8.95%

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency Result

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Cllr Irene Oldfather	14,936	52.82 %	- 9.91 %
	Scottish National Party	Michael Russell	8,395	29.69 %	+ 8.91 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Murray Tosh	3,229	11.42 %	+ 1.34 %
	Liberal Democrat	Stuart Ritchie	1,717	6.07 %	+ 1.54 %
	Labour win	Labour majority	6,541	23.13 %	- 18.82 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Logo	Party	Votes	%
	Labour	11,426	41.04 %
	Scottish National Party	8,360	30.02 %
	Conservative & Unionist	3,131	11.24 %
	Socialist Labour Party	1,743	6.26 %
	Liberal Democrats	1,557	5.59 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	762	2.74 %
	Scottish Green Party	555	1.99 %
	Liberal Party	161	0.58 %
	UK Independence Party	92	0.33 %
	Natural Law Party	57	0.20 %
	Labour majority	3,066	11.01 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Brian Donohoe MP	22,233	62.73 %
	Scottish National Party	Margaret Burgess	7,364	20.78 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Pamela Paterson	3,571	10.08 %
	Liberal Democrat	Erland Watson	1,604	4.53 %
	Socialist Labour Party	Krishna Edwin	494	1.39 %
	Referendum	Allan Martlew	178	0.50 %
	Labour hold	Labour majority	14,869	41.95 %

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