Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. In the Scottish Parliament, Orkney and Shetland are separate constituencies. The constituency was historically known as Orkney and Zetland (an alternative name for Shetland). In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, 65.4% of the constituency's electors voted for Scotland to stay part of the United Kingdom.

Creation

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Orkney & Zetland.

Boundaries

The constituency is made up of the two northernmost island groups of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland. A constituency of this name has existed continuously since 1708. However, before 1918 the town of Kirkwall (the capital of Orkney) formed part of the Northern Burghs constituency. It is the most northerly of the 650 UK Parliament constituencies. The constituency is one of five "protected constituencies", the others being Na h-Eileanan an Iar, two on the Isle of Wight, and Ynys Môn, defined exclusively by geography rather than by size of electorate. The constituency contains the areas of the Orkney Islands Council and the Shetland Islands Council. Before 2011 the constituency had been unique in having its boundaries protected by legislation. The constituency has the second smallest electorate of any UK parliamentary constituency, after Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

History

The constituency has elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post since its creation in 1707. Although called Orkney and Shetland, prior to the Scottish Reform Act 1832 there were no eligible voters from Shetland. This was due to the land tenure and valuation structures used in Shetland, which meant no-one could show that they met the property qualification to be eligible to vote. This was a source of resentment in Shetland; its residents made several attempts to argue that some different form of valuation should be acceptable to show eligibility, but they were unsuccessful until the wider reforms of 1832. The constituency has remained largely unchanged since its creation. The town of Kirkwall was added in 1918, having previously been part of Wick Burghs.

Members of Parliament

The constituency has elected only Liberal and Liberal Democrat MPs since 1950; the longest run of any British parliamentary constituency. At each general election from 1955 until 1979, in 1987, 2010 and again in 2017 it was the safest Liberal Democrat seat in the UK. At the 2015 general election, it was the only seat in Scotland to return a Liberal Democrat MP.

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1939–40: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1870s

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1830s