South Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament. Ten of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the region elects seven regional Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), in addition to the ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole, which thus elects a total of 17 MSPs.
The region was created as a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries in 2011, and largely replaced the South of Scotland region. As defined at the 2011 review, the South Scotland region covered the Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and South Ayrshire council areas in full and parts of the East Lothian, Midlothian and South Lanarkshire council areas, and covered nine constituencies. Following the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, the boundaries of the region were altered, and it now covers ten constituencies. The region now covers the whole of the council areas of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, and South Ayrshire; and parts of the council areas of East Ayrshire, Midlothian, and South Lanarkshire. By population it is now the largest of Scotland's eight electoral regions.
Constituencies and local government areas
2026–present As a result of the Second Periodic Review in 2025, the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. South Scotland underwent considerable changes, with East Lothian being transferred to the new Edinburgh and Lothians East region, and the region gaining the East Kilbride and Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituencies from the former Central Scotland region. Additionally, the region lost a small portion of the East Ayrshire council area to the West Scotland region due to a boundary changes of the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency.
RegionConstituencies from 2026 Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Dumfriesshire East Kilbride Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Galloway and West Dumfries Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
2011–2026
As a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries for the region and constituencies were redrawn for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.
RegionConstituencies Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Dumfriesshire East Lothian Galloway and West Dumfries Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
1999–2011 Prior to the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries, the area which previously encompassed much of the South Scotland electoral region was known as the 'South of Scotland' electoral region. The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing in at that time.Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies in 2005. See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland .
The First Past the Post constituencies can be found below:
RegionConstituencies Ayr Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Clydesdale Cunninghame South Dumfries East Lothian Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Roxburgh and Berwickshire Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
The region covered the following local government areas: In full: Scottish Borders South Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway In part: East Ayrshire East Lothian Midlothian North Ayrshire South Lanarkshire
Members of the Scottish Parliament
Constituency MSPs as South of Scotland Term ElectionAyrCarrick, Cumnock and Doon ValleyClydesdaleGalloway and Upper NithsdaleDumfriesRoxburgh and BerwickshireTweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleEast Lothian area formerly within the Central Scotland Region prior to 2011Cunninghame South1st1999Ian Welsh(Labour) Cathy Jamieson(Labour) Karen Gillon(Labour) Alasdair Morgan(SNP) Elaine Murray(Labour) Euan Robson(Lib Dem) Ian Jenkins(Lib Dem)John Home Robertson(Labour) Irene Oldfather(Labour)2000 byJohn Scott2nd2003Alex Fergusson(Conservative) Jeremy Purvis(LD)3rd2007John Lamont(Conservative)Iain Gray(Labour)as South Scotland Term ElectionAyrCarrick, Cumnock and Doon ValleyClydesdaleGalloway and West DumfriesDumfriesshireEttrick, Roxburgh and BerwickshireMidlothian South, Tweeddale and LauderdaleEast LothianKilmarnock and Irvine Valley area covered by former constituency moved to the West Scotland Region from 20114th2011John Scott(Conservative)Adam Ingram(SNP)Aileen Campbell(SNP)Alex Fergusson(Conservative)Elaine Murray(Labour)John Lamont(Conservative)Christine Grahame(SNP) Iain Gray(Labour)Willie Coffey(SNP)5th2016Jeane Freeman(SNP)Finlay Carson(Conservative)Oliver Mundell(Conservative)2017 byRachael Hamilton(Conservative)6th2021Siobhian Brown(SNP)Elena Whitham(SNP)Màiri McAllan(SNP)Paul McLennan(SNP) Term ElectionAyrCarrick, Cumnock and Doon ValleyClydesdaleGalloway and West DumfriesDumfriesshireEttrick, Roxburgh and BerwickshireMidlothian South, Tweeddale and LauderdaleEast KilbrideKilmarnock and Irvine ValleyHamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse7th2026Siobhian Brown(SNP)Katie Hagmann(SNP)Màiri McAllan(SNP)Finlay Carson(Conservative)Craig Hoy(Conservative)Rachael Hamilton(Conservative)Calum Kerr(SNP)Collette Stevenson(SNP)Alan Brown(SNP)Alex Kerr(SNP)
Regional List MSPs N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only
Parliament MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP as South of Scotland 1st (1999–2003)Christine Grahame (SNP)Adam Ingram(SNP)Michael Russell(SNP)Murray Tosh(Conservative)Alex Fergusson(Conservative)David Mundell(Conservative)Phil Gallie(Conservative)2nd (2003–07)Alasdair Morgan (SNP)Rosemary Byrne(Socialistlater Solidarity)Chris Ballance(Green)Derek Brownlee(Conservative)3rd (2007–11)Michael Russell(SNP)Aileen Campbell(SNP)Jim Hume(Lib Dem) as South Scotland4th (2011–16)Aileen McLeod(SNP)Joan McAlpine(SNP)Paul Wheelhouse(SNP)Chic Brodie(SNP)Claudia Beamish(Labour)Graeme Pearson(Labour)Jim Hume(Lib Dem)5th (2016–2021)Emma Harper(SNP)Rachael Hamilton(Conservative)Colin Smyth(Labour)Brian Whittle(Conservative)Michelle Ballantyne(Conservative,then Reform)6th (2021–2026)Martin Whitfield(Labour)Sharon Dowey(Conservative)Craig Hoy(Conservative)Carol Mochan(Labour)7th (2026–)Laura Moodie(Green)Jamie Langan(Reform)David Kirkwood(Reform)Senga Beresford(Reform)Joe Fagan(Labour)Duncan Dunlop(Lib Dem)
Election results 2026 Scottish Parliament election
Constituency results {| class=wikitable !colspan=4 style=background-color:#f2f2f2|2026 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result
Additional Member results
2021 Scottish Parliament election In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:
7 Scottish National Party MSPs (6 constituency members and 1 additional member) 3 Labour MSPs (additional members) 6 Conservative MSPs (3 constituency members and 3 additional member)
Constituency results {| class=wikitable !colspan=4 style=background-color:#f2f2f2|2021 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result
Additional Member results
2016 Scottish Parliament election In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows: 7 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency members and three additional members) 6 Conservative MSPs (four constituency members and two additional members) 3 Labour MSPs (one constituency member and two additional members)
Constituency results {| class=wikitable !colspan=4 style=background-color:#f2f2f2|2016 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result
Additional member results {| class=wikitable !colspan=8 style=background-color:#f2f2f2|2016 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−%
2011 Scottish Parliament election In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows: 8 Scottish National Party MSPs (four constituency members and four additional members) 4 Labour MSPs (two constituency members and two additional members) 3 Conservative MSPs (all constituency members) 1 Liberal Democrat MSP (additional member)
Constituency results {| class=wikitable !colspan=4 style=background-color:#f2f2f2|2011 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result
Additional member results {| class=wikitable !colspan=8 style=background-color:#f2f2f2|2011 Scottish Parliament election: South Scotland |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−%
Footnotes