Ross and Cromarty — UK General Election Results
Ross and Cromarty was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 4,735 votes over SNP. This page covers every general election in Ross and Cromarty from 1832 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1832–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie (Whig) | 272 | 64.8% | Hugh Alexander Johnstone Munro (Conservative) | 124 (29.5 pts) | 81.4% |
| 1835 | James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie (Whig) | 241 | 54.6% | Thomas Mackenzie (Conservative) | 41 (9.3 pts) | 74.2% |
| 1837 | Thomas Mackenzie (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1841 | Thomas Mackenzie (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson (Whig) | 288 | 56.9% | George William Holmes Ross (Conservative) | 70 (13.8 pts) | 60.8% |
| 1857 | James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1859 | James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1865 | James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1868 | Alexander Matheson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1874 | Alexander Matheson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1880 | Alexander Matheson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1885 | Roderick Macdonald (Independent Liberal and Crofters) | 4,942 | 62.8% | Ronald Craufurd Munro Ferguson (Liberal) | 2,017 (25.6 pts) | 76.6% |
| 1886 | Roderick Macdonald (Liberal and Crofters) | 4,263 | 78.1% | John Peter Grant (Liberal Unionist) | 3,066 (56.1 pts) | 53.2% |
| 1892 | James Galloway Weir (Liberal and Crofters) | 3,171 | 56.8% | Neil Maclean (Liberal Unionist) | 758 (13.6 pts) | 62.3% |
| 1895 | James Galloway Weir (Liberal) | 3,272 | 57.6% | Randle Jackson (Liberal Unionist) | 863 (15.2 pts) | 68.8% |
| 1900 | James Galloway Weir (Liberal) | 3,554 | 68.3% | James Douglas Fletcher (Conservative) | 1,903 (36.6 pts) | 65.8% |
| 1906 | James Galloway Weir (Liberal) | 3,883 | 68.7% | James Crabb Watt (Conservative) | 2,112 (37.4 pts) | 69.8% |
| Dec 1910 | James Galloway Weir (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| Jan 1910 | James Galloway Weir (Liberal) | 4,430 | 75.8% | Neil Maclean (Liberal Unionist) | 3,012 (51.5 pts) | 71.2% |
| 1918 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (Liberal) | 8,358 | 78.6% | Hector Munro (Highland Land League) | 6,080 (57.2 pts) | 51.4% |
| 1922 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (National Liberal) | 5,923 | 56.7% | John Macdonald (Liberal) | 1,402 (13.4 pts) | 42.4% |
| 1923 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1924 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1929 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (Liberal) | 9,564 | 58.8% | Hugh Donald MacIntosh (Labour) | 2,854 (17.5 pts) | 55.6% |
| 1931 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (National Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1935 | James Ian Stewart Macpherson (National Liberal) | 10,810 | 76.7% | John MacKinnon MacDiarmid (Labour) | 7,526 (53.4 pts) | 50.8% |
| 1945 | John MacLeod (Independent Liberal) | 10,061 | 62.8% | Angus Mackay Mackintosh (Labour) | 4,102 (25.6 pts) | 61.9% |
| 1950 | John MacLeod (Conservative) | 10,912 | 62.6% | Alastair Reid (Labour) | 4,391 (25.2 pts) | 63.1% |
| 1951 | John MacLeod (Conservative) | 10,969 | 64.2% | Alastair Reid (Labour) | 4,865 (28.5 pts) | 57.5% |
| 1955 | John Macleod (Unionist) | 9,929 | 62.3% | Jane Saggar (Labour) | 3,926 (24.6 pts) | 61.9% |
| 1959 | John MacLeod (National Liberal) | 7,813 | 47.2% | Jane B Saggar (Labour) | 2,998 (18.1 pts) | 65.3% |
| 1964 | Alasdair Roderick Mackenzie (Liberal) | 6,923 | 40.2% | Sir John MacLeod (National Liberal) | 1,407 (8.2 pts) | 69.4% |
| 1966 | Alasdair Mackenzie (Liberal) | 7,348 | 42.1% | William Ross (Labour) | 2,044 (11.7 pts) | 71.2% |
| 1970 | James Gray (Conservative) | 6,418 | 33.2% | Alasdair Mackenzie (Liberal) | 801 (4.1 pts) | 71.7% |
| Feb 1974 | James Gray (Conservative) | 7,908 | 36.1% | Willie McRae (SNP) | 2,871 (13.1 pts) | 75.1% |
| Oct 1974 | James Gray (Conservative) | 7,954 | 38.9% | Willie McRae (SNP) | 663 (3.2 pts) | 69.5% |
| 1979 | James Gray (Conservative) | 10,650 | 42.4% | Willie McRae (SNP) | 4,735 (18.9 pts) | 76.4% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie | Whig | 272 | 64.8% | Yes |
| Hugh Alexander Johnstone Munro | Conservative | 148 | 35.2% | No |
1835
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie | Whig | 241 | 54.6% | Yes |
| Thomas Mackenzie | Conservative | 200 | 45.4% | No |
1837
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Mackenzie | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1841
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Mackenzie | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson | Whig | 288 | 56.9% | Yes |
| George William Holmes Ross | Conservative | 218 | 43.1% | No |
1857
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1859
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1865
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1868
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Matheson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1874
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Matheson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1880
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Matheson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roderick Macdonald | Independent Liberal and Crofters | 4,942 | 62.8% | Yes |
| Ronald Craufurd Munro Ferguson | Liberal | 2,925 | 37.2% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roderick Macdonald | Liberal and Crofters | 4,263 | 78.1% | Yes |
| John Peter Grant | Liberal Unionist | 1,197 | 21.9% | No |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Galloway Weir | Liberal and Crofters | 3,171 | 56.8% | Yes |
| Neil Maclean | Liberal Unionist | 2,413 | 43.2% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Galloway Weir | Liberal | 3,272 | 57.6% | Yes |
| Randle Jackson | Liberal Unionist | 2,409 | 42.4% | No |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Galloway Weir | Liberal | 3,554 | 68.3% | Yes |
| James Douglas Fletcher | Conservative | 1,651 | 31.7% | No |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Galloway Weir | Liberal | 3,883 | 68.7% | Yes |
| James Crabb Watt | Conservative | 1,771 | 31.3% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Galloway Weir | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Galloway Weir | Liberal | 4,430 | 75.8% | Yes |
| Neil Maclean | Liberal Unionist | 1,418 | 24.2% | No |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | Liberal | 8,358 | 78.6% | Yes |
| Hector Munro | Highland Land League | 2,278 | 21.4% | No |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | National Liberal | 5,923 | 56.7% | Yes |
| John Macdonald | Liberal | 4,521 | 43.3% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | Liberal | 9,564 | 58.8% | Yes |
| Hugh Donald MacIntosh | Labour | 6,710 | 41.2% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | National Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ian Stewart Macpherson | National Liberal | 10,810 | 76.7% | Yes |
| John MacKinnon MacDiarmid | Labour | 3,284 | 23.3% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John MacLeod | Independent Liberal | 10,061 | 62.8% | Yes |
| Angus Mackay Mackintosh | Labour | 5,959 | 37.2% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John MacLeod | Conservative | 10,912 | 62.6% | Yes |
| Alastair Reid | Labour | 6,521 | 37.4% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John MacLeod | Conservative | 10,969 | 64.2% | Yes |
| Alastair Reid | Labour | 6,104 | 35.8% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Macleod | Unionist | 9,929 | 62.3% | Yes |
| Jane Saggar | Labour | 6,003 | 37.7% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John MacLeod | National Liberal | 7,813 | 47.2% | Yes |
| Jane B Saggar | Labour | 4,815 | 29.1% | No |
| Colin Murchison | Liberal | 3,918 | 23.7% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alasdair Roderick Mackenzie | Liberal | 6,923 | 40.2% | Yes |
| Sir John MacLeod | National Liberal | 5,516 | 32.1% | No |
| William Alexander Ross | Labour | 4,767 | 27.7% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alasdair Mackenzie | Liberal | 7,348 | 42.1% | Yes |
| William Ross | Labour | 5,304 | 30.4% | No |
| Allan Cameron | Conservative | 4,820 | 27.6% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Gray | Conservative | 6,418 | 33.2% | Yes |
| Alasdair Mackenzie | Liberal | 5,617 | 29.1% | No |
| Ronald Maclean | Labour | 5,023 | 26.0% | No |
| George Nicholson | SNP | 2,268 | 11.7% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Gray | Conservative | 7,908 | 36.1% | Yes |
| Willie McRae | SNP | 5,037 | 23.0% | No |
| John Cameron Robertson | Liberal | 4,621 | 21.1% | No |
| Ronald Maclean | Labour | 4,336 | 19.8% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Gray | Conservative | 7,954 | 38.9% | Yes |
| Willie McRae | SNP | 7,291 | 35.7% | No |
| Brian Wilson | Labour | 3,440 | 16.8% | No |
| Thomas Glen | Liberal | 1,747 | 8.6% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Gray | Conservative | 10,650 | 42.4% | Yes |
| Willie McRae | SNP | 5,915 | 23.6% | No |
| Keir Bloomer | Labour | 5,055 | 20.1% | No |
| Hamish Robertson Morrison | Liberal | 3,496 | 13.9% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Ross and Cromarty has been contested at 38 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Conservative, Liberal, Independent Liberal and Crofters, Liberal and Crofters, National Liberal, Independent Liberal, Unionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Ross and Cromarty in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Ross and Cromarty in 1979 with 10,650 votes (42.4%), a majority of 4,735 votes over SNP in second place.
Which parties have won Ross and Cromarty since 1832?
Since 1832, Ross and Cromarty has been won by: Conservative, Independent Liberal, Independent Liberal and Crofters, Liberal, Liberal and Crofters, National Liberal, Unionist, Whig.
What was the closest result in Ross and Cromarty?
The closest result on record for Ross and Cromarty was Oct 1974, when Conservative beat SNP by just 663 votes (3.2 percentage points).