Candidates and Constituency Assessments


saltire shield'Campbell insists his tax policy is designed to benefit the less well-off, and that the assets of the very wealthy will continue to be taxed. But he knows - and everyone else knows - that the new tax policy is far from socialist.'
Iain Macwhirter in the Sunday Herald, 11 th June 2006.
Lion Rampant

Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale (South of Scotland Region)

Candidates

Derek Brownlee MSP Derek Brownlee MSP
(Also number 2 on South of Scotland list)
Con logo
Conservative & Unionist
Derek Brownlee was born on the 10 th August 1974 and was educated at Knowepark Primary School, Selkirk High School and the University of Aberdeen where he graduated with an LlB (Hons). He worked for Ernst & Young from 1996 to 2002, for the Institute of Directors from 2002 - 2004 and for Deloitte from 2004 until his election in 2005. He was fifth on the Tory South of Scotland list in 2003 and when David Mundell resigned after being elected as MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale, Derek Brownlee was sworne into the Scottish parliament on the 22 nd June 2005. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

Party positions
June 2006 - Tory spokesman on Finance & Public Service Reform

Recent electoral experience.
2003 Scottish parliament election, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, 5,686 votes (21.30 %)
2003 Scottish parliament election, Fifth on Tory South of Scotland list, 63,827 votes (24.24 %) (Replaced David Mundell MSP in 2005)
Christine Grahame MSP Christine Grahame MSP
(Also number 1 on South of Scotland list)
SNP logo
Scottish National Party
Christine Grahame was born on the 9 th September 1944 in Burton-on-Trent in England and was educated at Boroughmuir Secondary School in Edinburgh, Edinburgh University where she graduated with an MA, an LLB and a Dip. Legal Practice and Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh where she obtained a Dip in Education. She worked as a Teacher at Douglas Ewart High School, Whithorn Secondary School and Woodmill High School before becoming a Solicitor (Partner) with Alan Dawson Simpson & Hampton WS. from 1995 to 1998 she was Senior Litigation Assistant J & RA Robertson WS and from 1998 until her election in 1999 a Solicitor with Dickson, McNiven & Dunn WS. In 1999 (as Christine Creech) she was elected as the 6 th MSP for South of Scotland, while in 2003 she came within 538 votes of winning Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale from the Lib Dems. In 2004 she stood for the post of SNP Deputy Leader, coming third with 1,410 votes (21.57 %) compared to 3,521 votes (53.87 %) for Nicola Sturgeon and 1,605 votes for Fergus Ewing (24.56 %). In the parliament she is Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Borders Rail, Co-Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Tackling Debt, Deputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Animal Welfare and Deputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Diabetes.

Parliamentary Posts
June 2001 - April 2003 - Convener of the Justice Committee
May 2003 - September 2004 Convener of the Health Committee

Shadow Ministerial Posts
September 2000 - June 2001 - Shadow Minister for Social Security (reserved matter)
September 2004 - Shadow Minister for Social Justice

Recent electoral experience
2003 Scottish parliament election, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, 6,659 votes (24.94 %)
2003 Scottish parliament election, First on SNP South of Scotland list, 48,371 votes (18.37 %) (elected)
1999 Scottish parliament election, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, 7,600 votes (22.54 %) (as Christine Creech)
1999 Scottish parliament election, Fourth on SNP South of Scotland list, 80,059 votes (25.15 %) (elected) (as Christine Creech)
1994 European election, South of Scotland, 45,032 votes (22.4 %) (as Christine Creech)
1992 Westminster election, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, 5,244 votes (17.0 %) (as Christine Creech)
Jeremy Purves MSP Jeremy Purves MSP
(Not standing on South of Scotland list)
liberal logo
Liberal Democrat
Jeremy Purves was born on the 15 th January 1974 in Berwick and educated at Berwick-upon-Tweed High School and Brunel University in London where he graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Politics and Modern History. He worked as a research assistant then as personal assuistant for Sir David Steel (later Lord Steel of Aikwood) in 1993 and from 1996 until 1997. He was a Parliamentary assistant for Liberal International in 1994 and for the ELDR Group in the European Parliament in 1995. He worked for the Parliamentary affairs company GJW Scotland from 1998 to 2001 and was Company Director for McEwan Purvis, a Strategic communications consultancy, from 2001 until his election in 2003. He was elected in 2003 with 27.0 % of the vote and a 538 majority over the SNP's Christine Grahame. In the parliament he is Co-Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Affordable Housing andÊDeputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Textiles Clothing and Footwear.

Recent electoral experience
2003 Scottish parliament election, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, 7,197 votes (26.96 %) (elected)
Lady Catherine Maxwell Stuart Lady Catherine Maxwell Stuart, 21 st Laird of Traquair
(Not standing on South of Scotland list)
labour logo
Labour
Lady Catherine Maxwell-Stuart is the 21 st Laird of Traquair. She inherited the title in 1990 after the death of her father, the 20 th Laird. Sheis the manager of Traquair Brewery and also runs runs Traquair House near Innerleithen, which was founded in 1107. The main entrance, the Bear Gates have been closed since Bonnie Prince Charlie left in 1744. In 1996, in an interview with Stéphane Berne for Le Figaro Magazine, Lady Catherine said 'Notre famille a toujours été du mauvais côté, en religion comme en politique.' ('Our family was always on the wrong side, in religion and in politics.') That may explain why she is a supporter of New Labour. On the 27 th July 2006 she was fined £100 and her driving licence endorsed with three penalty points when she was found guilty of driving a car in which a three year old child and a five year old child were not wearing seatbelts.

Recent electoral experience
2003 Scottish parliament election, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, 5,757 votes (21.56 %)
2001 Westminster election, Roxburgh & Berwickshire, 4,498 votes (15.62 %)

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 2 (20 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 1.01 % from Liberal Democrat to Scottish National Party

Rank on Labour hit list: 7 (6 in 2003)
Swing required for Labour gain: 2.70 % from Liberal Democrat to Labour

Rank on Conservative hit list: 3 (16 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 2.83 % from Liberal Democrat to Conservative

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 54,819 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk 27,584 (50.3 %)
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweedale 13,734 (25.1 %)
Midlothian 13,501 (24.6 %)

Local Government wards in the constituency

Council Ward number Ward name Electorate (June 2001)
Scottish Borders 18Galawater and Lauderdale2,665
19Earlston, Gordon and District 12,581
20Melrose and District2,484
22Alewater and Denholm 22,441
23Old Selkirk2,789
24Forest2,862
25Netherdale2,549
26Lower Langlee and Tweedbank2,461
27Upper Langlee and Ladhope2,366
28Kilnknowe and Clovenfords2,461
29Mossilee and Central2,383
30Innerleithen and Walkerburn2,742
31Peebles and District South2,716
32Peebles and District East2,752
33Peebles and Upper Tweed2,792
34West Linton and District2,732
Midlothian 1Penicuik South West3,469
2Penicuik North4,000
3Penicuik/Roslin 33,492
4Penicuik South East3,543

1 Split between Roxburgh & Berwickshire and Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale
2 Mostly Roxburgh & Berwickshire and some Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale
3 Split between Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale and Midlothian

Previous results

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 50,912. Turnout 26,700, 52.44 % (- 12.92 %)
Logo Party Candidate Votes % % change
Liberal logo Liberal Democrat Jeremy Purves 7,197 26.96% - 8.86 %
SNP logo Scottish National Party Christine Grahame MSP 6,659 24.94 % + 2.40 %
Labour logo Labour Lady Catherine Maxwell Stuart 5,757 21.56 % - 0.82 %
Con logo Conservative & Unionist Derek Brownlee 5,686 21.30 % + 2.05 %
SSP logo Scottish Socialist Party Norman Lockhart 1,055 3.95 % (+ 3.95 %)
SPA logo Scottish Peoples Alliance Alexander Black 346 1.30 % (+ 1.30 %)
Lib Dem Liberal Democrat hold Liberal Democrat majority 538 2.01 % 11.27 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 50,912. Turnout 26,679, 52.40 %
201 rejected ballot papers
Logo Party Votes % % change
Con logo Conservative & Unionist 5,603 21.00 % + 1.80 %
Liberal logo Liberal Democrats 5,417 20.30 % - 4.27 %
SNP logo Scottish National Party 5,179 19.41 % - 4.49 %
Labour logo Labour 4,935 18.50 % - 2.62 %
Scot Green logo Scottish Green Party 2,726 10.22 % + 4.72 %
Scot Soc logo Scottish Socialist Party 1,450 5.43 % + 2.81 %
Pensioners Pensioners Party 664 2.49 % (+ 2.49 %)
Soc Lab logo Socialist Labour Party 269 1.01 % - 1.61 %
SPA Scottish Peoples Alliance 213 0.80 % (+ 0.80 %)
UKIP UK Independence Party 193 0.72 % (+ 0.72 %)

Am Partaidh Dhuthchail The Rural Party 30 0.11 % (+ 0.11 %)
Con logo Conservative & Unionist 186 0.70 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency Result

Logo Party Candidate Votes % % change
Liberal logo Liberal Democrat Ian Jenkins 12,078 35.82 % + 4.60 %
SNP logo Scottish National Party Christine Creech 7,600 22.54 % + 5.44 %
Labour logo Labour George McGregor 7,546 22.38 % - 5.03 %
Con logo Conservative & Unionist John Campbell 6,491 19.25 % - 2.86 %
Liberal Democrat win Liberal Democrat majority 4,478 13.28 % + 9.47 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

LogoParty Votes %
Liberal logo Liberal Democrats 8,295 24.57 %
SNP logo Scottish National Party 8,067 23.90 %
Labour logo Labour 7,130 21.12 %
Con logo Conservative & Unionist 6,480 19.20 %
Scot Green logo Scottish Green Party 1,858 5.50 %
Soc Lab logo Socialist Labour Party 886 2.62 %
Liberal Liberal Party 591 1.75 %
Scot Soc logo Scottish Socialist Party 254 0.75 %
UK Ind UK Independence Party 131 0.39 %
Nat Law logo Natural Law Party 66 0.20 %
Lib logo Liberal Democrat majority 228 0.68 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal logo Liberal Democrat Michael Moore 12,178 31.22 %
Labour logo Labour Keith Geddes 10,689 27.41 %
Con logo Conservative & Unionist Alister Jack 8,623 22.11 %
SNP logo Scottish National Party Ian Goldie 6,671 17.10 %
Referendum logo Referendum Christopher Mowbray 406 1.04 %
Liberal John Hein 387 0.99 %
Natural Law Duncan Paterson 47 0.12 %
Liberal Democrat hold Liberal Democrat majority 1,489 3.81 %

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