Falkirk West (Gaelic: An Eaglais Bhreac an Iar) is a burgh constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering part of the council area of Falkirk.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 141. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (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 nine constituencies in the Central Scotland and Lothians West electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.
The constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, for the 1999 Scottish Parliament election. Ahead of the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the boundaries of the seat were altered as a result of the first periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries.First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries Boundary Commission for ScotlandScottish Parliament Constituencies Order OPSI Further boundary changes were effected by the second periodic review in 2025.
The seat has been held by Gary Bouse of the Scottish National Party since the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.
Electoral region
The other eight constituencies of the Central Scotland and Lothians West region are: Airdrie, Almond Valley, Bathgate, Coatbridge and Chryston, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Motherwell and Wishaw, and Uddingston and Bellshill.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 28. The region includes all of the Falkirk, North Lanarkshire and West Lothian council areas, and parts of the South Lanarkshire council area.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 143.
Prior to the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, Falkirk West lay in the Central Scotland region, which was abolished as a result of this review. The other eight constituencies of the Central Scotland region were: Airdrie and Shotts, Coatbridge and Chryston, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, East Kilbride, Falkirk East, Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Motherwell and Wishaw and Uddingston and Bellshill. The region covered all of the Falkirk council area, all of the North Lanarkshire council area and part of the South Lanarkshire council area.
Constituency boundaries and council area
The constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, for the 1999 Scottish Parliament election, using the name and boundaries of the existing Falkirk West constituency of the UK Parliament. Ahead of the 2005 United Kingdom general election, the boundaries of House of Commons constituencies were altered, whilst being initially retained for elections to the Scottish Parliament. There is now no longer any link between the two sets of constituencies.See The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland
Falkirk West covers a western portion of the Falkirk council area. Between 1999 and 2026, the rest of the Falkirk area formed Falkirk East, also within the Central Scotland electoral region. Following the second periodic review, Falkirk West was slightly enlarged to take in the Stenhousemuir area (formerly in Falkirk East). The remainder of Falkirk now forms part of the new seat of Falkirk East and Linlithgow, which also covers a portion of the West Lothian council area.
From the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, Falkirk West was formed from the following electoral wards:Falkirk West: Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (map, 2015), Falkirk Council
In full: Denny and Banknock, Bonnybridge and Larbert, Falkirk North In part: Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst, Falkirk South (shared with Falkirk East constituency)
Following the second review of Scottish Parliament boundaries, the following Falkirk Council electoral wards were used to redefine the seat:Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 140. In full: Denny and Banknock, Bonnybridge and Larbert, Falkirk North In part: Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst, Falkirk South
Member of the Scottish Parliament Election Member Party 1999Dennis CanavanIndependent 2007 Michael MathesonScottish National Party 2026 Gary BouseScottish National Party
Election results
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
References Citations
Bibliography
See also Falkirk West (UK Parliament constituency)
External links