Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Moray and Nairn was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 420 votes over SNP. This page covers every general election in Moray and Nairn from 1918 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1918–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1918
Archibald Williamson (Liberal)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
1922
Thomas Maule Guthrie (National Liberal)
6,263
51.8%
James Scott (Liberal)
431 (3.6 pts)
49.0%
1923
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
8,116
53.4%
Thomas Maule Guthrie (Liberal)
1,027 (6.8 pts)
61.3%
1924
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
9,762
61.9%
Benjamin Skene Mackay (Labour)
3,757 (23.8 pts)
61.7%
1929
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
8,896
43.7%
Joseph Forbes Duncan (Labour)
2,330 (11.5 pts)
68.6%
1931
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
1935
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
12,755
63.5%
James Davidson Vassie (Labour)
5,408 (26.9 pts)
65.9%
1945
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
12,809
61.6%
Sinclair Shaw (Labour)
4,816 (23.2 pts)
61.8%
1950
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
15,478
59.9%
Richard Murray (Labour)
5,095 (19.7 pts)
75.0%
1951
James Gray Stuart (Unionist)
15,881
60.2%
David Hutchinson (Labour)
5,394 (20.5 pts)
74.5%
1955
James Grey Stuart (Unionist)
14,667
60.6%
Mackay Mackay (Labour)
5,129 (21.2 pts)
67.9%
1959
Gordon Thomas Calthrop Campbell (Unionist)
13,742
52.6%
Mackay Mackay (Labour)
7,203 (27.6 pts)
73.6%
1964
Gordon Thomas Calthrop Campbell (Unionist)
12,741
50.9%
Gordon McIntosh (Labour)
5,911 (23.6 pts)
69.4%
1966
Gordon Campbell (Conservative)
11,842
48.1%
Donald MacKenzie (Labour)
3,458 (14.1 pts)
68.0%
1970
Gordon Campbell (Conservative)
13,994
49.4%
Tom Angus Howe (SNP)
6,109 (21.6 pts)
72.2%
Feb 1974
Winnie Ewing (SNP)
16,046
49.3%
Gordon Campbell (Conservative)
1,817 (5.6 pts)
79.8%
Oct 1974
Winnie Ewing (SNP)
12,667
41.2%
Alexander Pollock (Conservative)
367 (1.2 pts)
74.7%
1979
Alexander Pollock (Conservative)
14,220
40.1%
Winnie Ewing (SNP)
420 (1.2 pts)
77.5%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1918
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Archibald Williamson
Liberal
Unopposed
Yes
1922
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Thomas Maule Guthrie
National Liberal
6,263
51.8%
Yes
James Scott
Liberal
5,832
48.2%
No
1923
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
8,116
53.4%
Yes
Thomas Maule Guthrie
Liberal
7,089
46.6%
No
1924
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
9,762
61.9%
Yes
Benjamin Skene Mackay
Labour
6,005
38.1%
No
1929
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
8,896
43.7%
Yes
Joseph Forbes Duncan
Labour
6,566
32.3%
No
John Edward Tennant
Liberal
4,889
24.0%
No
1931
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
Unopposed
Yes
1935
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
12,755
63.5%
Yes
James Davidson Vassie
Labour
7,347
36.5%
No
1945
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
12,809
61.6%
Yes
Sinclair Shaw
Labour
7,993
38.4%
No
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
15,478
59.9%
Yes
Richard Murray
Labour
10,383
40.1%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Gray Stuart
Unionist
15,881
60.2%
Yes
David Hutchinson
Labour
10,487
39.8%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Grey Stuart
Unionist
14,667
60.6%
Yes
Mackay Mackay
Labour
9,538
39.4%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Gordon Thomas Calthrop Campbell
Unionist
13,742
52.6%
Yes
Mackay Mackay
Labour
6,539
25.0%
No
Donald C MacDonald
Liberal
5,831
22.3%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Gordon Thomas Calthrop Campbell
Unionist
12,741
50.9%
Yes
Gordon McIntosh
Labour
6,830
27.3%
No
John Macleod
Liberal
5,478
21.9%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Gordon Campbell
Conservative
11,842
48.1%
Yes
Donald MacKenzie
Labour
8,384
34.1%
No
Thomas MacNair
Liberal
4,368
17.8%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Gordon Campbell
Conservative
13,994
49.4%
Yes
Tom Angus Howe
SNP
7,885
27.8%
No
Peter Talbot
Labour
6,452
22.8%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Winnie Ewing
SNP
16,046
49.3%
Yes
Gordon Campbell
Conservative
14,229
43.7%
No
Edward Gordon Smith
Labour
2,299
7.1%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Winnie Ewing
SNP
12,667
41.2%
Yes
Alexander Pollock
Conservative
12,300
40.0%
No
Edward Gordon Smith
Labour
2,985
9.7%
No
Keith Schellenberg
Liberal
2,814
9.1%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Alexander Pollock
Conservative
14,220
40.1%
Yes
Winnie Ewing
SNP
13,800
38.9%
No
Steve Rodan
Liberal
4,361
12.3%
No
Geoffrey Edward Winsor Scobie
Labour
3,104
8.7%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Moray and Nairn has been contested at 18 general elections on record since 1918. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Liberal, National Liberal, Unionist, Conservative, SNP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Moray and Nairn in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Moray and Nairn in 1979 with 14,220 votes (40.1%), a majority of 420 votes over SNP in second place.
Which parties have won Moray and Nairn since 1918?
Since 1918, Moray and Nairn has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, National Liberal, SNP, Unionist.
What was the closest result in Moray and Nairn?
The closest result on record for Moray and Nairn was Oct 1974, when SNP beat Conservative by just 367 votes (1.2 percentage points).