New ‘Stirling and Strathallan’ Constituency extends Stirling to Auchterarder
Local Stirling MP Alyn Smith has welcomed the final recommendations report from the Boundary Commission for Scotland, from their 2023 review of UK Parliament constituencies.
The Stirling Westminster constituency presently exactly mirrors Stirling Council area, covering Stirling City, but also extending to Drymen in the West, Crianlarich and Tyndrum in the North to Fallin, Cowie and Plean in the East. It is set to expand by more than 8,000 electors, with the addition of most of the Strathallan ward in the Perth & Kinross Council area. The size of the constituency will grow from 2,253km2 to 2492km2, slightly smaller than Luxembourg, while the electorate will grow from 68,473 in 2019 to around 77,008 – the most of any constituency in Scotland.
The review, held in parallel from similar bodies in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, was carried out from 2021, with the final proposals already taking feedback from previous report stages into consideration. The four reports have been laid before the UK Parliament by the Speaker of the House of Commons, and await final approval though are now expected to be the basis of the new constituency.
Stirling SNP MP Alyn Smith said:
‘Stirling is the heart of Scotland, and already has some of the finest natural beauty and active communities in Scotland. Having moved our family home to St Ninians, I have been privileged to represent my home in the Westminster parliament since 2019, and if the local SNP members will have me I will certainly be putting myself forward as candidate for the new expanded seat. It’s exciting to see the adoption of Strathallan into what will be the most populated constituency in Scotland, an area just shy of the size of Luxembourg. Sadly our seat at the United Nations and EU will be a longer term project!
‘Of course folks in Strathallan will already be used to fantastic SNP politicians, with local Councillor Steve Carr as part of an SNP-led Perth & Kinross Council, John Nicolson MP, and Jim Fairlie MSP all representing communities across the ward in Perth and Kinross Council, and the Holyrood and Westminster parliaments.
‘The inclusion of fantastic places such as Glendevon, Blackford, Auchterarder and Braco to name but a few will open a new chapter in Stirling’s local politics. And with Gleneagles adding to our already fantastic tourism offering of Stirling castle, the Wallace Monument, the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and so much more, we can look forward to forging new business and community relationships across the enlarged constituency.’
‘I am proud both of my record, and of the SNP team throughout the last few extraordinary, traumatic years. I have helped thousands of people through these tough times. The pandemic, leaving the EU in the shambolic way we did, and the present energy and economic crisis have hit every household one way or another, and I have done my best to reach out and work with others to help as best I can. I believe Scotland’s best future is as an independent state, back in the EU, playing our part in a wider community of 500 million people. I look forward, if adopted as candidate, to taking that positive message of integrity and hope to the most populated constituency in Scotland.’