Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'Are his (Lord Hutton's) conclusions on restricting the use of unverifiable sources in British journalism based on sound law and, if applied, would they constitute a threat to the freedom of the press in this country?' Gavyn Davies, who resigned as Chairman of the Board of Governors on the 28 th January 2004.

Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock

Candidates

	Charles "Chic" Brodie
	Scottish National Party
	Chic Brodie grew up in Dundee and studied Maths and Economics at St. Andrews University. As a teenager he was Chairman of YCND and joined the SNP after running companies across Europe and seeing first hand how countries like Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Holland ran themselves successfully. He has stood as candidate several times, for both Westminster and Council seats. He is a mentor and advisor to small and start up companies in Scotland. He is married to Mary, and loves golf, football, reading biographies, current affairs and his kids and grandchildren. Recent electoral experience As a Liberal Democrat candidate: 2001 Westminster election, Greenock & Inverclyde, 5,039 votes (17.73 %) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Perth, 3,558 votes, (9.51 %) 1999 Scottish Parliament, election, 6 th on Liberal Democrat Mid Scotland & Fife list, 38,896 votes (12.73 %) As an SDP/Liberal Alliance candidate: 1983 Westminster election, 12,740 votes (25.6 %)
	Sandra Osborne
	Labour
	The Labour candidate is Sandra Osborne, previously MP for Ayr. She was born in Paisley in 1956 and was educated at Camphill High School, Anniesland College, Jordanhill College, and Starthclyde University. Osborne was a member of Kyle & Carrick District Council from 1990 until 1995 and of South Ayrshire Council from 1994 until 1997, representing Whitletts with 85.8 % of the vote. Osborne's husband, Alasdair came withing 85 votes of beating Tory Phil Gallie in 1992. Sandra Osborne won Ayr from the Tories in 1997 after favourable boundary changes which gave the new Ayr seat a notional Labour majority of 1,895. Osborne won Ayr with a 6,543 majority over the Tories in 1997 and saw this cut to 2,545 in 2003. The Scottish Parliamentary seat with the same boundaries proved to be less solid - 1999 the Labour majority was cut to 25, and in 2000 the Tories won the seat with a majority of 3,344 over the SNP with Labour in third place, while in 2003, the Tories held the seat with a majority of 1,890 over Labour. The boundary changes were extremely favourable to Osborne with the new seat Ayr seat being based largely on Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley and Labour's notional vote was more than twice that of the Tories. Ministerial Posts: Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster Parliament election, Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock, 20,433 votes (45.36 %) (elected) 2001 Westminster Parliament election, Ayr, 16,801 votes (43.57 %) (elected) 1997 Westminster Parliament election, Ayr, 21,679 (48.44 %) (elected)
	Who?
	Conservative & Unionist
	Recent electoral experience.
	Who?
	Liberal Democrat
	Recent electoral experience

Westminster Election, 5 th May 2005

Electorate 73,448 Turnout: 61.33 %
	Sandra Osborne MP
	Labour
	Votes	20,433
	%	45.36 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 5.97 % / - 2.48 %
	Mark Jones
	Conservative & Unionist
	Votes	10,436
	%	23.17 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 1.60 % / - 2.47 %
	Colin Waugh
	Liberal Democrat
	Votes	6,341
	%	14.08 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	+ 6.89 % / + 7.37%
	Charles Brodie
	Scottish National Party
	Votes	5,932
	%	13.17 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 0.52 % / - 0.52 %
	Don Shop
	Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
	Votes	592
	%	1.31 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	(+ 1.31 %) / (+ 1.31 %)
	Murray Steele
	Scottish Socialist Party
	Votes	554
	%	1.23 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 1.12 % / - 1.25 %
	James McDaid
	Socialist Labour Party
	Votes	395
	%	0.88 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	(+ 0.88 %) / (+ 0.88 %)
	Bryan McCormack
	UK Independence Party
	Votes	365
	%	1.02 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	(+ 0.81 %) / (+ 0.81 %)
Notional Labour hold
Labour majority		9,997
% majority		22.19 %
% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)		- 4.37 % / - 3.01 %

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Labour	23,941	51.33 %		23,888	47.84 %
	Conservative & Unionist	11,554	24.77 %		12,047	25.64 %
	Scottish National Party	6,385	13.69 %		4,433	13.69 %
	Liberal Democrat	3,354	7.19 %		3,152	6.71 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,094	2.35 %		1,141	2.48 %
	Others	315	0.68 %		328	0.70 %
Notional Labour win	Notional Labour majority	12,387	26.56 %		11,841	25.20 %