# West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (UK Parliament constituency)

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Westminster), which elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It was first used in the 1997 general election, but has undergone boundary changes since that date. The constituency was re-established in 1997, having previously existed as Kincardine and Western Aberdeenshire from 1918 to 1950.
The seat has been held since 2017 by Andrew Bowie of the Conservative Party.
There was also a Holyrood constituency of West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine in the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2011 with the same boundaries as the Westminster constituency at that time.

## Boundaries
### 1918–1950

In 1868, the constituency of Aberdeenshire was divided into Aberdeenshire Eastern and Aberdeenshire Western divisions. These continued as constituencies until 1918, when the county of Aberdeenshire and the county of Kincardineshire were treated as if a single county for parliamentary representation purposes, with the area of the former Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire constituencies being divided into three new constituencies, Aberdeen and Kincardine East, Aberdeen and Kincardine Central and Kincardine and Aberdeenshire West. In 1950 the Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire counties were separated again, and a new boundary divided the Aberdeenshire area into East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire.

### 1997–2005

Kincardine and Deeside District, and the Gordon District electoral divisions of Donside and South Gordon.

### 2005–present

Under the Fifth Review of UK Parliament constituencies of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, the constituency was defined as comprising the area of the Aberdeenshire Council other than those parts in the Banff and Buchan County Constituency and the Gordon County Constituency. Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundaries were unchanged.
Further to reviews of local government ward boundaries which came into effect in 2007 and 2017, but did not affect the parliamentary boundaries, the contents of the constituency are now defined as comprising the following Aberdeenshire Council wards and part wards:
* In full: Westhill and District, Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside, Banchory and Mid Deeside, North Kincardine, Stonehaven and Lower Deeside, Mearns.
* In part: West Garioch$^1$ (minority, including Kemnay), East Garioch$^1$ (minority, including Blackburn), Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford$^1$ (minority, including Alford).
$^1$ The boundary within these wards is equivalent to the boundary between the former Gordon constituency and the unchanged West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency.
The constituency covers a southern portion of the Aberdeenshire council area and includes the towns of Stonehaven, Portlethen and Banchory, and stretches along the Dee river valley from Westhill to Braemar, and north to Kemnay in the Don river valley, which were part of the Gordon constituency until 2005.
To the northeast of West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine there are the constituencies of Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South, which are both entirely within the Aberdeen City area; to the north there is the new Gordon and Buchan constituency, which is entirely within the Aberdeenshire area; to the northeast lies the new Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey constituency; and to the south, the new Angus and Perthshire Glens constituency.

## Members of Parliament
### 1918–1950

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1918 | Arthur Murray | Coalition Liberal |
| | 1922 | Arthur Murray | Liberal |
| | 1923 | Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | Unionist |
| | 1929 | James Scott | Liberal |
| | 1931 | Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | Unionist |
| | 1939 by-election | Colin Thornton-Kemsley | Unionist |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

### 1997–present

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1997 | Sir Robert Smith | Liberal Democrats |
| 2015 | Stuart Donaldson | SNP |
| 2017 | Andrew Bowie | Conservative |

## Election results
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Bowie | 17,428 | 35.6 | −7.1 |
| | SNP | Glen Reynolds | 13,987 | 28.6 | −12.5 |
| | Labour | Kate Blake | 6,397 | 13.1 | +8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Turvey | 6,342 | 13.0 | +1.3 |
| | Reform UK | Brandon Innes | 3,497 | 7.1 | N/A |
| | Scottish Green | William Linegar | 1,032 | 2.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Iris Leask | 219 | 0.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Neill | 56 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,441 | 7.0 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,958 | 67.3 | −6.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,994 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.7 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Bowie | 22,752 | 42.7 | −5.2 |
| | SNP | Fergus Mutch | 21,909 | 41.1 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Waddell | 6,253 | 11.7 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Patrick Coffield | 2,431 | 4.6 | −6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 843 | 1.6 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,345 | 73.4 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −6.9 | |
General election 2017: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Bowie | 24,704 | 47.9 | +19.1 |
| | SNP | Stuart Donaldson | 16,754 | 32.5 | −9.1 |
| | Labour | Barry Black | 5,706 | 11.1 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Waddell | 4,461 | 8.6 | −12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,950 | 15.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,625 | 71.2 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative gain from SNP | Conservative gain from SNP | Swing | +14.1 | |
General election 2015: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Stuart Donaldson | 22,949 | 41.6 | +25.9 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Burnett | 15,916 | 28.8 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Smith | 11,812 | 21.4 | −17.0 |
| | Labour | Barry Black | 2,487 | 4.5 | −9.1 |
| | UKIP | David Lansdell | 1,006 | 1.8 | +0.9 |
| | Scottish Green | Richard Openshaw | 885 | 1.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Graham Reid | 141 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,033 | 12.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,196 | 75.2 | +6.8 |
| | SNP gain from Liberal Democrats | SNP gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +21.5 | |
General election 2010: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Smith | 17,362 | 38.4 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | Alex Johnstone | 13,678 | 30.3 | +1.9 |
| | SNP | Dennis Robertson | 7,086 | 15.7 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Greg Williams | 6,159 | 13.6 | +0.5 |
| | BNP | Gary Raikes | 513 | 1.1 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Anthony Atkinson | 397 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,684 | 8.1 | −9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,195 | 68.4 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −4.9 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Smith | 19,285 | 46.3 |
| | Conservative | Alex Johnstone | 11,814 | 28.4 |
| | Labour | James Barrowman | 5,470 | 13.1 |
| | SNP | Caroline Little | 4,700 | 11.3 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Lorna Grant | 379 | 0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,471 | 17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,648 | 63.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new boundaries) | Liberal Democrats win (new boundaries) | Liberal Democrats win (new boundaries) | Liberal Democrats win (new boundaries) |
General election 2001: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Smith | 16,507 | 43.5 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Kerr | 11,686 | 30.8 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | Kevin Hutchens | 4,669 | 12.3 | +3.2 |
| | SNP | John Green | 4,634 | 12.2 | −0.9 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Alan Manley | 418 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,821 | 12.7 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,914 | 62.0 | −11.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +3.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Smith | 17,742 | 41.1 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | George Kynoch | 15,080 | 34.9 | −10.2 |
| | SNP | Joy Mowatt | 5,649 | 13.1 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Qaisra Khan | 3,923 | 9.1 | +2.3 |
| | Referendum | Steve Ball | 808 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,662 | 6.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,202 | 73.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Colin Thornton-Kemsley | 10,932 | 51.5 | −4.4 |
| | Liberal | John Junor | 10,290 | 48.5 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 642 | 3.0 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,222 | 68.7 | −6.9 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -4.4 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

1939 Kincardineshire and Western Aberdeenshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Colin Thornton-Kemsley | 11,111 | 52.7 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Irvine | 9,990 | 47.3 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,121 | 5.4 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,101 | 71.4 | −4.2 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -3.2 | |
General election 1935: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 12,477 | 55.9 | −5.7 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Irvine | 9,841 | 44.1 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,636 | 11.8 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,318 | 75.6 | −5.0 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 14,266 | 61.6 | +13.4 |
| | Liberal | James Scott | 8,890 | 38.4 | −13.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,376 | 23.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,156 | 80.6 | +14.3 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Scott | 9,839 | 51.8 | +6.3 |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 9,171 | 48.2 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 668 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,010 | 66.3 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +6.3 | |
General election 1924: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 8,260 | 54.5 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal | James Scott | 6,889 | 45.5 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,371 | 9.0 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,149 | 67.3 | +5.5 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
General election 1923: Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 6,639 | 51.0 | New |
| | Liberal | Hon. Arthur Murray | 6,369 | 49.0 | −12.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 270 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,008 | 57.8 | +13.2 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1922: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Hon. Arthur Murray | 6,224 | 62.3 | N/A |
| | National Liberal | William Mitchell | 3,767 | 37.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,457 | 24.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,991 | 44.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Kincardine & Western Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | Arthur Murray | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | 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. ||||||