Frequently Asked Questions — Falkirk Constituency

What is Falkirk known for?

Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, 23+1⁄2 miles northwest of Edinburgh and 20+1⁄2 miles (33 km) northeast of Glasgow.

Who won the Falkirk constituency election in 2017?

Scottish National Party gained Falkirk constituency at the 8 June 2017 General Election, taking the seat from Labour. Scottish National Party won with a majority of 4,923 votes (9.2%). Turnout was 65.4%.

What was the swing in Falkirk at the 2017 election?

The swing in Falkirk was 10.4% from LAB to SNP — a modest shift towards SNP. Swing is calculated using the Butler two-party formula: the average of the change in winner's vote share and the fall in the runner-up's vote share compared to the previous election here.

What does swing mean in UK elections?

Swing measures how much support has shifted between two parties compared to a previous election. The Butler swing formula — used in British election reporting since the 1950s — takes the average of the gain in the winner's vote share and the loss in the runner-up's. A 5% swing is considered large at ward level; anything above 10% is exceptional. The swing figure for Falkirk in 2017 is shown in the statistics above.