# Linlithgowshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Linlithgowshire was a Scottish county constituency of Great Britain and after 1801 the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system. It was replaced in 1950 by an equivalent constituency named West Lothian.

## 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 Linlithgowshire.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until 1950.
For the 1950 general election, the constituency was abolished and replaced by West Lothian.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1708 | Lord Johnstone | |
| | 1708 | John Houston | |
| | 1713 | Sir James Carmichael | |
| | 1714 | John Houston | |
| | 1715 | Sir James Cunynghame | |
| | 1722 | George Dundas | |
| | 1727 | Alexander Hamilton | |
| | 1741 | George Dundas | |
| | 1743 | Charles Hope-Weir | |
| | 1768 | John Hope | |
| | 1770 | James Dundas | |
| | 1774 | Sir William Cunynghame | |
| | 1790 | John Hope | Tory |
| | 1800 | Sir Alexander Hope | Tory |
| | 1834 | Sir Alexander Hope | Conservative |
| | 1835 | James Hope | Conservative |
| | 1838 | Charles Hope | Conservative |
| | 1845 | William Baillie | Conservative |
| | 1847 | George Dundas | Conservative |
| | Feb. 1859 | Charles Baillie | Conservative |
| | May 1859 | Walter Ferrier Hamilton | Liberal |
| | 1865 | Peter McLagan | Liberal |
| | 1893 | Thomas Hope | Conservative |
| | 1895 | Alexander Ure | Liberal |
| | 1913 | John Pratt | Liberal |
| | 1918 | James Kidd | Coalition Conservative |
| | 1922 | Manny Shinwell | Labour |
| | 1924 | James Kidd | Unionist |
| | 1928 | Manny Shinwell | Labour |
| | 1931 | Sir Adrian Baillie | Unionist |
| | 1935 | George Mathers | Labour |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Alexander Hope | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Alexander Hope | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Alexander Hope | 267 | 51.3 |
| | Whig | James Joseph Hope-Vere | 253 | 48.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | 2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 520 | 86.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 600 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | James Hope | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 692 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | James Hope | 329 | 63.3 |
| | Whig | Robert Fulke Greville | 191 | 36.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 138 | 26.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 520 | 71.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 725 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Hope resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 14 June 1838: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Hope | 330 | 61.1 | −2.2 |
| | Whig | James Johnston | 210 | 38.9 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 22.2 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 540 | 73.6 | +1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 734 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.2 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Hope | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 686 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Hope was appointed a commissioner of Greenwich Hospital, London, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 20 October 1841: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Hope | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Hope resigned after being appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, causing a by-election.
By-election, 22 August 1845: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Baillie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Dundas | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 596 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Dundas | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 502 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Dundas | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 427 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Dundas resigned upon his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, causing a by-election.
By-election, 5 February 1859: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Baillie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Walter Ferrier Hamilton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 425 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 813 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | 600 | 60.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John Pender | 385 | 39.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 215 | 21.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 985 | 80.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,226 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,198 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | 747 | 74.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Robertson | 256 | 25.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 491 | 49.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,003 | 81.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,232 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1885: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | 3,801 | 70.3 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hope | 1,606 | 29.7 | +4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,195 | 40.6 | −8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,407 | 79.4 | −2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,808 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.2 | |
General election 1886: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | 2,543 | 58.4 | −11.9 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hope | 1,810 | 41.6 | +11.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 733 | 16.8 | −23.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,353 | 63.9 | −15.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,808 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −11.9 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter McLagan | 2,870 | 51.4 | −7.0 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hope | 2,709 | 48.6 | +7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 2.8 | −14.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,579 | 79.2 | +15.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,042 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −7.0 | |
1893 Linlithgowshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hope | 3,240 | 51.3 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Ure | 3,071 | 48.7 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 169 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,311 | 86.3 | +7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,315 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.7 | |
General election 1895: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Ure | 3,760 | 54.4 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hope | 3,153 | 45.6 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 607 | 8.8 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,913 | 88.4 | +9.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,823 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +3.0 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Ure | 3,827 | 55.8 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | David Dundas | 3,034 | 44.2 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 793 | 11.6 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,861 | 81.2 | −7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,450 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
General election 1906: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Ure | 5,282 | 65.7 | +9.9 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Rose-Innes | 2,761 | 34.3 | −9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,521 | 31.4 | +19.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,043 | 78.1 | −3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,301 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +9.9 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Ure | 6,451 | 64.6 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | William Charles Smith | 3,536 | 35.4 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,915 | 29.2 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,987 | 84.6 | +6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,810 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.1 | |
General election December 1910: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Ure | 5,835 | 60.8 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | James Kidd | 3,765 | 39.2 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,070 | 21.6 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,600 | 81.1 | −3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,840 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −3.8 | |
1913 Linlithgowshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Pratt | 5,615 | 52.4 | −8.4 |
| | Unionist | James Kidd | 5,094 | 47.6 | +8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 521 | 4.8 | −16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,709 | 87.8 | +6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,193 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −8.4 | |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Liberal: John Pratt
* Unionist: James Kidd
* Labour: (George Dallas ?)
General election 1918: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | James Kidd | 12,898 | 59.7 | +20.5 |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 8,723 | 40.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,175 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,621 | 66.4 | −14.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,562 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 12,625 | 46.4 | +6.1 |
| | Unionist | James Kidd | 8,993 | 33.0 | −29.7 |
| | Liberal | John Fraser Orr | 5,605 | 20.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,632 | 13.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,223 | 76.5 | +10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,582 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +17.9 | |
General election 1923: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 13,304 | 50.9 | +4.5 |
| | Unionist | James Kidd | 8,149 | 31.2 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal | James Johnston | 4,691 | 17.9 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,155 | 19.7 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,144 | 71.7 | −4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,459 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
General election 1924: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Kidd | 14,765 | 51.1 | +19.9 |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 14,123 | 48.9 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 642 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,888 | 80.0 | +8.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,122 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Labour | Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | +11.0 | |
1928 Linlithgowshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 14,446 | 49.1 | +0.2 |
| | Unionist | Margaret Kidd | 9,268 | 31.5 | −19.6 |
| | Liberal | Douglas Young | 5,690 | 19.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,178 | 17.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,044 | 81.5 | +1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,082 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +9.9 | |
General election 1929: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 18,063 | 51.6 | +2.7 |
| | Unionist | Adrian Baillie | 11,241 | 32.1 | −19.0 |
| | Liberal | John Fraser Orr | 5,722 | 16.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,822 | 19.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,026 | 77.9 | −2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 44,962 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +10.9 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Adrian Baillie | 20,476 | 54.7 | +22.6 |
| | Labour | Manny Shinwell | 16,956 | 45.3 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,520 | 9.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,432 | 82.1 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 45,612 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Labour | Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | +14.5 | |
General election 1935: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Mathers | 20,905 | 54.1 | +8.8 |
| | Unionist | Adrian Baillie | 17,730 | 45.9 | −8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,175 | 8.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,635 | 80.8 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,813 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +8.8 | |

### Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Linlithgowshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Mathers | 24,762 | 64.1 | +10.0 |
| | Unionist | Rupert Speir | 13,871 | 35.9 | −10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,891 | 28.2 | +20.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,633 | 73.2 | −7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,752 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.0 | |