Frequently Asked Questions — Orkney and Shetland Constituency

Who won the Orkney and Shetland constituency election in 2010?

Liberal Democrats held Orkney and Shetland constituency at the 6 May 2010 General Election. Liberal Democrats won with a majority of 9,928 votes (51.3%). Turnout was 58.5%.

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 Orkney and Shetland in 2010 is shown in the statistics above.