# Dundee West (UK Parliament constituency)

Dundee West was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post voting system.
The constituency was created for the 1950 general election, when the two-seat Dundee constituency was split into two single seat constituencies: Dundee East and Dundee West.
Further to the completion of the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to boundary changes, gaining further parts of the Dundee City council area. As a consequence, it was renamed Dundee Central, and was first contested at the 2024 general election.

## Boundaries

1950–1974: The County of the City of Dundee wards numbers 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
1974–1983: The County of the City of Dundee wards of Balgay, Camperdown, Downfield, Law, Lochee, and Riverside. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged.
1983–1997: The City of Dundee District electoral divisions of Ardler/Blackside, Central/Riverside, Downfield/St Mary's, Dudhope/Logie, Gourdie/Pitalpin, Law/Ancrum, Lochee, Menziehill/Ninewells, Rockwell/Fairmuir, and Trottick/Gillburn.
1997–2005: The City of Dundee District electoral divisions of Central, Charleston, Kingsway West, Kirkton, Law, Lochee, Ninewells, Riverside, and St Mary's.
2005–2024: The part of the Dundee City council area other than the Dundee East Burgh Constituency and the Angus Council ward of Sidlaw West.
The constituency was one of two covering the Dundee City council area, the other being Dundee East. Final boundaries were first used in the 2005 general election.
As well as covering a western portion of the city area, the West constituency also included, to the north and west, part of the Angus council area. Similarly, the east constituency included, to the north and east, another part of the Angus council area.
Prior to the 2005 election, both constituencies were entirely within the city area, and the north-eastern and north-western areas of the city were within the Angus constituency. Scottish Parliament constituencies retain the older boundaries.

## Politics and history of the constituency

Dundee West was held by the Labour Party from the first time it was contested in 1950 until the 2015 general election. Initially it was more marginal than its neighbour Dundee East. Additionally the Labour candidate always polled more than 50% of the votes cast in these contests. However, in 1959 Labour's majority over Conservative candidate was only 714 votes. This majority greatly increased at the 1963 by-election and by 1970, Labour's majority and share of the vote in Dundee West was better than the same figures in Dundee East.
Labour's majority was reduced in 2005 by the SNP candidate Joe Fitzpatrick despite changes to the boundaries which should have favoured Labour; suggesting that the constituency might be becoming more marginal, although the gap widened again in 2010. The last MP was Chris Law, who was the first-ever MP from the Scottish National Party elected for Dundee West; as part of the party's near-clean sweep of the majority of Scottish seats at that year's general election.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1950 | John Strachey | Labour |
| 1963 by-election | Peter Doig | Labour |
| 1979 | Ernie Ross | Labour |
| 2005 | Jim McGovern | Labour |
| 2015 | Chris Law | SNP |

## Election results
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Chris Law | 22,355 | 53.8 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Jim Malone | 10,096 | 24.3 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Tess White | 5,149 | 12.4 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Coleman | 2,468 | 5.9 | +2.8 |
| | Brexit Party | Stuart Waiton | 1,271 | 3.1 | New |
| | CPA | Quinta Arrey | 240 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,259 | 29.5 | +15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,579 | 64.5 | +2.8 |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | +7.1 | |
General election 2017: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Chris Law | 18,045 | 46.7 | −15.2 |
| | Labour | Alan Cowan | 12,783 | 33.1 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Darren Cormack | 6,257 | 16.2 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jenny Blain | 1,189 | 3.1 | +0.7 |
| | Independent | Sean Dobson | 403 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,262 | 13.6 | −24.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,677 | 61.7 | −6.1 |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | -12.3 | |
General election 2015: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Chris Law | 27,684 | 61.9 | +33.0 |
| | Labour | Michael Marra | 10,592 | 23.7 | −24.8 |
| | Conservative | Nicola Ross | 3,852 | 8.6 | −0.7 |
| | Scottish Green | Pauline Hinchion | 1,225 | 2.7 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Coleman | 1,057 | 2.4 | −9.0 |
| | TUSC | Jim McFarlane | 304 | 0.7 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,092 | 38.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,714 | 67.8 | +8.9 |
| | SNP gain from Labour | SNP gain from Labour | Swing | +28.9 | |
General election 2010: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim McGovern | 17,994 | 48.5 | +3.9 |
| | SNP | Jim Barrie | 10,716 | 28.9 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Barnett | 4,233 | 11.4 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Colin Stewart | 3,461 | 9.3 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | Andy McBride | 365 | 1.0 | New |
| | TUSC | Jim McFarlane | 357 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,278 | 19.6 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,126 | 58.9 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.5 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Dundee West (new boundaries) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim McGovern | 16,468 | 44.6 | −5.7 |
| | SNP | Joe Fitzpatrick | 11,089 | 30.0 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nykoma Garry | 5,323 | 14.4 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Christopher McKinlay | 3,062 | 8.3 | −0.6 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Jim McFarlane | 994 | 2.7 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,379 | 14.6 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,936 | 56.1 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2001: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernie Ross | 14,787 | 50.6 | −3.2 |
| | SNP | Gordon Archer | 7,987 | 27.3 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Ian Hail | 2,656 | 9.1 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Dick | 2,620 | 9.0 | +1.3 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Jim McFarlane | 1,192 | 4.1 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,800 | 23.3 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,242 | 54.4 | −13.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernie Ross | 20,875 | 53.8 | +4.8 |
| | SNP | John Dorward | 9,016 | 23.2 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | Neil Powrie | 5,015 | 13.2 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Dick | 2,972 | 7.7 | +0.2 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Mary Ward | 428 | 1.1 | New |
| | Referendum | John MacMillan | 411 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,859 | 30.6 | +5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,717 | 67.7 | −2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernie Ross | 20,498 | 49.0 | −4.4 |
| | SNP | Keith Brown | 9,894 | 23.6 | +8.3 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Spearman | 7,746 | 18.5 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Dick | 3,132 | 7.5 | −5.2 |
| | Scottish Green | Elly Hood | 432 | 1.0 | New |
| | Natural Law | Donald Arnold | 159 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,604 | 25.4 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,861 | 69.8 | −5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernie Ross | 24,916 | 53.4 | +7.9 |
| | Conservative | John Donnelly | 8,390 | 18.0 | −3.7 |
| | SNP | Alasdair Morgan | 7,164 | 15.3 | −1.8 |
| | SDP | Rosemary Lonie | 5,922 | 12.7 | −4.4 |
| | Communist | Stephen Matthewson | 308 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,526 | 35.4 | +13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,700 | 75.4 | +1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernie Ross | 20,288 | 43.5 | −12.8 |
| | Conservative | David Senior | 10,138 | 21.7 | −8.9 |
| | SDP | Elizabeth Dick | 7,976 | 17.1 | New |
| | SNP | James Lynch | 7,973 | 17.1 | +4.7 |
| | Ecology | Patrick Marks | 302 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,150 | 21.8 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,677 | 74.4 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernie Ross | 23,654 | 47.25 | +6.24 |
| | SNP | Jim Fairlie | 13,197 | 26.36 | −8.75 |
| | Conservative | I. Stevenson | 12,892 | 25.75 | +7.29 |
| | Communist | Raymond Mennie | 316 | 0.63 | −0.17 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,457 | 20.89 | +14.99 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,059 | 78.41 | +4.09 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Doig | 19,480 | 41.01 | −2.02 |
| | SNP | Jim Fairlie | 16,678 | 35.11 | +9.98 |
| | Conservative | C.G. Findlay | 8,769 | 18.46 | −12.07 |
| | Liberal | R. Hewett | 2,195 | 4.62 | New |
| | Communist | H. McLevy | 381 | 0.80 | −0.51 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,802 | 5.90 | −6.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,503 | 74.32 | −6.94 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Doig | 22,193 | 43.03 | −8.51 |
| | Conservative | M. Tomison | 15,745 | 30.53 | −7.43 |
| | SNP | Jim Fairlie | 12,959 | 25.13 | +16.42 |
| | Communist | H. McLevy | 673 | 1.31 | −0.28 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,448 | 12.50 | −0.88 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,570 | 81.26 | +5.00 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Doig | 26,271 | 51.54 | |
| | Conservative | J.A. Payne | 19,449 | 38.16 | |
| | SNP | J.A. Shepherd | 4,441 | 8.71 | New |
| | Communist | H. McLevy | 809 | 1.59 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,822 | 13.38 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,940 | 76.26 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Doig | 26,705 | 53.71 | +0.37 |
| | Conservative | C. A. MacNab | 18,345 | 36.90 | −7.65 |
| | Liberal | J. W. Cruddas | 3,454 | 6.95 | N/A |
| | Communist | David Bowman | 1,217 | 2.45 | +0.03 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,360 | 16.81 | +7.72 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,721 | 79.90 | −1.60 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Doig | 27,090 | 53.3 | +3.7 |
| | National Liberal | Henry Campbell Scarlett | 22,473 | 44.2 | −3.9 |
| | Communist | David Bowman | 1,228 | 2.4 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,617 | 9.1 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,791 | 81.5 | −1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
1963 by-election: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Doig | 22,449 | 50.6 | +1.0 |
| | National Liberal | Robert Taylor | 17,494 | 39.4 | −8.9 |
| | SNP | James C. Lees | 3,285 | 7.4 | New |
| | Communist | David P. Bowman | 1,170 | 2.6 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,955 | 11.2 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,398 | 71.6 | −11.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Strachey | 25,857 | 49.6 | −0.9 |
| | Unionist | Robert R. Taylor | 25,143 | 48.3 | +1.4 |
| | Communist | David P. Bowman | 1,087 | 2.1 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 714 | 1.3 | −2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,087 | 82.9 | +0.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Strachey | 26,082 | 50.52 | −1.08 |
| | National Liberal | Gordon HM Pirie | 24,208 | 46.89 | N/A |
| | Communist | David P. Bowman | 1,335 | 2.59 | −0.09 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,874 | 3.63 | −3.25 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,625 | 82.70 | −4.10 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Strachey | 29,020 | 51.60 | −1.90 |
| | Liberal | John Junor | 25,714 | 45.72 | +43.87 |
| | Communist | David P. Bowman | 1,508 | 2.68 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,306 | 5.88 | −2.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,242 | 86.80 | −1.28 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Dundee West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Strachey | 28,386 | 53.50 | N/A |
| | National Liberal | Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn | 23,685 | 44.64 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Colin James Canning | 986 | 1.86 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,701 | 8.86 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,057 | 88.08 | N/A |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |