# Inverness (UK Parliament constituency)

Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system of election.
There was also a county constituency called Inverness-shire, 1708 to 1918, and a burgh constituency called Inverness Burghs, 1708 to 1918.

## Boundaries

The earlier Inverness-shire constituency covered, nominally, the county of Inverness minus the burgh of Inverness, which was a part of the Inverness Burghs constituency. By 1918, however, county boundaries were out of alignment with constituency boundaries.
In 1918, the Representation of the People Act 1918 created new constituency boundaries, taking account of new local government boundaries, and the new constituency boundaries were first used in the 1918 general election.
The new Inverness constituency included the burgh of Inverness and was one of three constituencies covering the county of Inverness and the county of Ross and Cromarty. The other two were the Ross and Cromarty constituency and the Western Isles constituency.
The Inverness constituency covered the county of Inverness minus Outer Hebridean areas (the districts of Harris, North Uist and South Uist), which were covered by the Western Isles constituency. The same boundaries were used in every election from 1918 onwards.
In 1975, counties and burghs were abolished as local government areas, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, and from 1975 until 1983, the Inverness constituency was entirely within the Highland local government region.
For the 1983 general election, new boundaries defined three new constituencies to cover the region: Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber, Ross, Cromarty and Skye and Caithness and Sutherland. Each of the new constituencies covered a number of the districts of the region. The Caithness and Sutherland constituency carried forward the name of an older constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| | 1918 | Thomas Brash Morison | Coalition Liberal | Previously MP for Inverness-shire |
| | 1922 by-election | Sir Murdoch Macdonald | Coalition Liberal | |
| | 1922 | Sir Murdoch Macdonald | National Liberal | |
| | 1922 | Sir Murdoch Macdonald | Liberal | |
| | 1931 | Sir Murdoch Macdonald | Liberal National | |
| | 1950 | Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton | Unionist | |
| | 1954 by-election | Neil McLean | Unionist | |
| | 1964 | Russell Johnston | Liberal | Subsequently, MP for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1910s

UK General Election, 1918: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | Thomas Morison | 7,991 | 73.2 | N/A |
| | Highland Land League | George James Bruce | 2,930 | 26.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,061 | 46.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,921 | 37.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 29,263 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

1922 Inverness by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 8,340 | 51.0 | −22.2 |
| | Independent Liberal | Alexander Livingstone | 8,024 | 49.0 | −24.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 316 | 2.0 | −44.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,364 | 50.1 | +13.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,695 | | |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | −22.2 | |
UK General Election, 1922: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 9,796 | 52.7 | −20.5 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Livingstone | 8,785 | 47.3 | −25.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,011 | 5.4 | −41.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,581 | 54.3 | +17.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 34,244 | | |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | −20.5 | |
UK General Election, 1923: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 10,194 | 65.4 | +12.7 |
| | Labour | Andrew D. Kinloch | 5,385 | 34.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,809 | 30.8 | +25.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,579 | 46.9 | −7.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 33,230 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +12.7 | |
UK General Election, 1924: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 11,468 | 62.6 | −2.8 |
| | Labour | T. Henderson | 6,863 | 37.4 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,605 | 25.2 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,331 | 54.1 | +7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 33,875 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.8 | |
UK General Election, 1929: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 14,042 | 55.3 | −7.3 |
| | Labour | David Norman Mackay | 11,369 | 44.7 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,673 | 10.6 | −14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,411 | 58.6 | +4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 43,387 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −7.3 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

UK General Election, 1931: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 18,702 | 65.3 | +10.0 |
| | Labour | David Norman Mackay | 5,941 | 20.7 | −24.0 |
| | National (Scotland) | John MacCormick | 4,016 | 14.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,761 | 44.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,659 | 61.9 | +3.3 |
| | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
UK General Election, 1935: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 14,985 | 56.4 | −8.9 |
| | Labour | Hugh Fraser | 7,297 | 27.5 | +6.8 |
| | SNP | John MacCormick | 4,273 | 16.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,688 | 28.9 | −15.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,555 | 57.8 | −4.1 |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

UK General Election, 1945: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Liberal | Murdoch Macdonald | 12,090 | 43.26 | −13.1 |
| | Labour | Neil George Maclean | 9,655 | 34.55 | +7.0 |
| | Liberal | John MacCormick | 6,200 | 22.19 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,435 | 8.71 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,945 | 59.40 | +1.6 |
| | Independent Liberal gain from National Liberal | Independent Liberal gain from National Liberal | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton | 16,056 | 45.47 | New |
| | Labour | Desmond Nethersole-Thompson | 11,236 | 31.82 | −2.73 |
| | Liberal | John Bannerman | 8,023 | 22.72 | +0.53 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,820 | 13.65 | +4.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,315 | 68.52 | +9.12 |
| | Unionist gain from National Liberal | Unionist gain from National Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton | 22,497 | 64.54 | +19.07 |
| | Labour | Thomas Alexander MacNair | 12,361 | 35.46 | +3.64 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,136 | 29.08 | +15.43 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,858 | 69.30 | +0.78 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +21.37 | |
1954 Inverness by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Neil McLean | 10,329 | 41.4 | −23.1 |
| | Liberal | John Bannerman | 8,998 | 36.0 | New |
| | Labour | William Paterson | 5,642 | 22.6 | −12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,331 | 5.4 | −23.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,969 | 49.2 | −20.1 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Neil McLean | 14,352 | 41.5 | −23.0 |
| | Liberal | John Bannerman | 13,386 | 38.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Desmond Nethersole-Thompson | 6,891 | 19.9 | −15.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 966 | 2.8 | −26.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,629 | 67.49 | −1.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −9.1 | |
General election 1959: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Neil McLean | 15,728 | 44.4 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal | John Bannerman | 11,653 | 32.9 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Ian John Forgan Coulter | 8,073 | 22.77 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,075 | 11.49 | +8.70 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,454 | 71.56 | +4.07 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +5.75 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Russell Johnston | 14,235 | 39.8 | +6.9 |
| | Unionist | Neil McLean | 12,099 | 33.9 | −10.5 |
| | Labour | Allan Campbell McLean | 9,402 | 26.3 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,136 | 5.9 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,736 | 71.4 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Russell Johnston | 14,356 | 39.4 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | David Anthony Wathen | 11,961 | 32.9 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Allan Campbell McLean | 10,069 | 27.7 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,395 | 6.5 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,386 | 72.1 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Russell Johnston | 15,052 | 38.4 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | David Anthony Wathen | 12,378 | 31.5 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Donald Macauley | 9,038 | 23.0 | −4.7 |
| | SNP | Athole Christina Cameron | 2,781 | 7.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,674 | 6.9 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,248 | 72.3 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Russell Johnston | 16,903 | 38.7 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Robert Ewart Henderson | 11,680 | 26.8 | −4.7 |
| | SNP | Rob Gibson | 7,816 | 17.9 | +10.8 |
| | Labour | David James Cameron | 7,258 | 16.6 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,223 | 11.9 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,657 | 76.1 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Russell Johnston | 13,128 | 32.4 | −6.3 |
| | SNP | Donald Barr | 11,994 | 29.6 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | Robert Ewart Henderson | 8,922 | 22.0 | −4.8 |
| | Labour | J.W.L. Cumming | 6,332 | 15.6 | −1.0 |
| | Fine Gael (Scotland) | Uilleam Bell | 155 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,134 | 2.8 | −9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,531 | 70.5 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1979: Inverness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Russell Johnston | 15,716 | 33.7 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Hunter Gordon | 11,559 | 24.8 | +2.8 |
| | SNP | Donald Barr | 9,603 | 20.6 | −9.0 |
| | Labour | Brian David Henderson Wilson | 9,586 | 20.6 | +5.0 |
| | Fine Gael (Scotland) | Uilleam Bell | 112 | 0.2 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,157 | 8.9 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,576 | 74.4 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |