West (or Western) Aberdeenshire was a Scottishcounty constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1918 and from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
During the period 1918 to 1950, the area of the constituency was divided between West Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.
For the 1885 general election the burgh constituencies of Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were created. Both of these new constituencies included areas beyond the boundaries of the burgh of Aberdeen.
County boundaries were redefined under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, and the city of Aberdeen (a county of city) was created in 1900, but these developments did not affect constituency boundaries.
In 1918, the Representation of the People Act 1918 created new constituency boundaries, taking account of new local government boundaries, and grouped the county of Aberdeen, the city of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine in the creation of new constituencies for the 1918 general election. Thus the Western Aberdeenshire area was divided between West Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.
West Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983[]
1950 to 1955[]
The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949 created new boundaries for the 1950 general election, and West Aberdeenshire was created as one of four constituencies covering the county of Aberdeen and the city of Aberdeen. West Aberdeenshire and East Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county, and Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were entirely within the city. West Aberdeenshire consisted of the burghs of Ballater, Inverurie, Kintore, and Oldmeldrum, and the districts of Aberdeen, Alford, Deeside, and Garioch.[2]
For the 1955 general election, West Aberdeenshire was enlarged to include the burgh of Huntly and the district of Huntly, which were previously within East Aberdeenshire.[2]
In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties and burghs were abolished as local government areas, and West Aberdeenshire became a constituency within the Grampian region.
The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.