Latest headlines
- Victory for the SNP with 63 seats - two short of a majority
- Conservatives are the second largest party on 31 seats - but Labour on 24 lost 13 seats
- Scottish Greens are the fourth largest party with six seats, ahead of the Lib Dems who won five
- See the changing political map of Scotland
Scoreboard
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Net percentage change in seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party SNP Scottish National Party | CandidatesChristine Grahame | Votes16,031 | 45.1% | Net percentage change in seats+1.5 |
| Party CON Scottish Conservatives | CandidatesMichelle Ballantyne | Votes10,163 | 28.6% | Net percentage change in seats+16.8 |
| Party LAB Scottish Labour | CandidatesFiona Dugdale | Votes5,701 | 16.0% | Net percentage change in seats−0.7 |
| Party LD Scottish Lib Dems | CandidatesKris Chapman | Votes3,686 | 10.4% | Net percentage change in seats−17.7 |
Change compared with 2011 | ||||
Turnout and Majority
Scottish National Party Majority
5,868Turnout
59.1%Constituency Profile
The largest towns in this seat are Penicuik, Galashiels and Peebles. The economy in the area was until recent years dependent on textiles, an industry that has now declined. However, despite that decline, unemployment remains below the national average.
The constituency saw the new Borders railway being opened by the Queen in September 2015. It links Borders towns from Tweedbank to Edinburgh. It is hoped the link will act as a catalyst for economic growth right across the south of Scotland.
The Liberal Democrats’ Ian Jenkins took the seat in the first Holyrood election of 1999. When he stood down, his Lib Dem colleague Jeremy Purvis won the Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale constituency in 2003 and 2007. The seat swung to the SNP in 2011 and Christine Grahame now represents the area at Holyrood.
