Since being established just 12 years ago, the constituency of Dunfermline and West Fife has elected Labour, Liberal Democrat and, most recently, SNP politicians to represent it.
Curiously, the 2015 election actually saw Labour’s Thomas Docherty add a few hundred votes to his 2010 victory total.
Not that it hindered the SNP’s Douglas Chapman in any way at all, who returned a 10,352 majority.
Chapman, a former councillor, served on the Defence Select Committee during the two years before the snap election was called and has made something of a name for himself with the tenacity, and sheer volume, of written parliamentary questions he has put to the UK Government.
Challenging him for Labour will be Cara Hilton, the former Dunfermline MSP. Will she be able to overturn another massive Nationalist majority?
It looks tricky, particularly given the fact Docherty was thought to hoover up a lot of traditional Conservative votes.
With the Tories on the rise in the national polls, will those people stick with Labour or place a protest against the SNP elsewhere?
Before the 2005 creation of Dunfermline and West Fife, the seat was split over two constituencies – Dunfermline East and Dunfermline West – that were always Labour.
Gordon Brown was the former’s only ever MP. The new boundary has been far less predictable with its choice of politician but looks unlikely to spring a surprise this June.
The candidates
James Calder (Liberal Democrat)
James Calder has been selected as the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Dunfermline and West Fife.
James says he intends on being a local champion who will put the local area first, rather than being a cheerleader for independence. This means he will battle for our education services to be improved, including fighting locally for new high schools to deal with the capacity crisis in West Fife’s schools.
He also wants to increase NHS funding, especially to ensure more GPs and improved mental healthcare. James will oppose independence and a destructive hard Brexit and will instead seek to ensure EU Single Market access and for people, not politicians, to have the choice of the final Brexit deal.
Douglas Chapman (SNP)
“Now more than ever, it is vital to have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland – only then can we protect Scottish jobs, businesses and opportunities for young people in universities and research institutes from the dangers posed by an unopposed Tory government at Westminster.
“As university and research bodies warn of the Tories reckless hard Brexit plans with unworkable and damaging immigration targets, coupled with Tories claiming that Scotland is not an attractive place to live, make it absolutely clear that we need a progressive SNP voice in Westminster that will stand up for Dunfermline and West Fife and Scotland.”
Belinda Hacking (Conservative)
“It is a privilege to represent Dunfermline and West Fife for the Scottish Conservatives and Unionists.
“I believe in a big hearted society and effective public services that are funded by a growing economy. That means not promising to spend more than we can afford. We need a competent government to lead through Brexit and to make the right decisions that generate jobs and prosperity.
“Most people in Scotland don’t want another independence referendum with the division and disruption it causes. We will stand up to the SNP to stop another referendum.
“Apart from being your candidate, I am a mother, a wife and I have worked in medical services in the NHS for 25 years.”
Cara Hilton (Labour)
“You deserve an MP fighting for better jobs, better schools and better public services, not a cheerleader for independence.
“I’m angry that Scottish children are growing up in poverty but we’ve an SNP Government refusing to act and a Tory Government that simply doesn’t care.
“Nicola Sturgeon wants to divide Scotland again but the majority of us want to the Scottish Government get on with the day job.
“Only Labour can beat the SNP here, voting for another party risks another SNP win. Vote Cara Hilton to say no to another referendum and to put Dunfermline and West Fife first.”
