Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a county constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, it is also one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 28.
The seat was created for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, and replaced most of the former constituency of Ross, Skye and Inverness West and part of the former Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber constituency. The remaining portions of the two former seats (consisting mostly of the less rural area surrounding and including Inverness) was moved into a new seat called Inverness and Nairn.
The seat has been held by Andrew Baxter of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.
Electoral region
The Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency is one of eight forming the Highlands and Islands electoral region. The other seven constituencies in the region are Argyll and Bute, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Inverness and Nairn, Moray, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney Islands, and Shetland Islands. The region covers most of Argyll and Bute council area, all of the Highland council area, most of the Moray council area, all of the Orkney Islands council area, all of the Shetland Islands council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 143.
Constituency boundaries and council area The Highland council area is represented in the Scottish Parliament by three constituencies: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross; Inverness and Nairn; and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch. When first formed ahead of the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the following electoral wards of the Highland Council were used to define the constituency of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch:Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 141-142.
In full: Dingwall and Seaforth; Black Isle; Eilean a’ Cheò; Caol and Mallaig; Aird and Loch Ness; Fort William and Ardnamurchan In part: Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh; Badenoch and Strathspey
At the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025 the seat boundaries were slightly altered, with the Badenoch and Strathspey ward being transferred to Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 113-118. The main settlements in the area transferred were the villages of Grantown on Spey, Carrbridge, and Boat of Garten. The following Highland Council wards were used to redefine the seat at this review:Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 141.
Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh (shared with Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) Dingwall and Seaforth (entire ward) Black Isle (entire ward) Eilean a' Cheò (entire ward) Caol and Mallaig (entire ward) Aird and Loch Ness (shared with Inverness and Nairn) Badenoch and Strathspey (entire ward) Fort William and Ardnamurchan (entire ward)
Member of the Scottish Parliament Election Member Party 2011Dave ThompsonScottish National Party 2016Kate Forbes 2026Andrew BaxterScottish Liberal Democrats
Election results
Elections in the 2020s
This was the largest numerical majority at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.
2010s
References Citations
Bibliography
External links