Angus

The Result

Electorate: 86,929
Area (Hectares): 218,396

Angus stretches from Dundee on the Firth of Tay to the Grampian Mountains. It includes the agricultural Strathmore Valley and 50kms of North Sea coastline. Its seaside resorts and the famous golf course at Carnoustie provide many jobs in the tourist sector. Agriculture and fishing are also important employers.

Like much of rural Scotland, the political culture is conservative by nature, however it is the SNP who are the dominant party. The parliamentary seat of Angus is a Conservative/SNP marginal: it was held by Andrew Welsh for the SNP between 1974 and 79 and then by the Conservatives from 1979 to 1987. But Andrew Welsh won it back in 1987 and still holds the seat. The council is also controlled by the SNP, who have 21 of the 26 seats. Labour have little support in this area, they came third at the General Election with 15.5% of the vote, and they have no councillors (although they also won 15.5% of the vote in the 1995 local elections.

Results of 1979 referendum:

ICM/Scotsman poll published on 22 August 1997:

		Yes		No		Don't know
All Scotland		68%		21%		11%
Highland, Grampian & Tayside		63%		26%		11%

Question:Should a Scottish Parliament have tax-varying powers?

		Yes		No		Don't know
All Scotland		56%		36%		8%
Highland, Grampian & Tayside		48%		41%		11%

(Total Sample Size: 1,001, Fieldwork: 19-20 August 1997)