Scottish Referendums

Stirling

Electorate: 65,855
Area (Hectares): 219,588

This region stretches from the town of Stirling in the south to the Highlands in the north and west. Stirling town is situated midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh in the central belt of Scotland. Most of the population lives in Stirling and the surrounding towns of Banockburn, Dunblane and Bridge of Allan. These are relatively middle-class towns and are home to many people who work in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Agriculture and tourism are the main industries in the more rural part of the region.

The parliamentary seat of Stirling has been a Conservative/Labour marginal for many years. It was Labour who took the seat from Michael Forsyth at the last election. The party also hold most of the seats on the council, they have almost twice as many councillors as the Conservatives.

Results of 1979 referendum:

The regions were different in 1979, Stirling was part of Central region.

	Yes	No	Turnout
All Scotland	51.6%	48.3%	63.8%
Central	54.7%	45.3%	66.7%

ICM/Scotsman poll published on 22 August 1997:

Question: Should there be a Scottish Parliament?

Yes No Don't know

All Scotland 68% 21% 11%

Lothian, Fife and Central 68% 25% 7%

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

Yes No Don't know

All Scotland 56% 36% 8%

Lothian, Fife and Central 57% 40% 3%

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