Lab regained this seat from SNP — last held it in 2010.
Alan Gemmell
Labour PartyAlan Gemmell is the Labour MP for Central Ayrshire, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Central Ayrshire has been predominantly positive for Alan across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“MP calls for next Red Arrows jets to be built in Prestwick - Ayr Advertiser” — Ayr Advertiser
“Central Ayrshire MP performs life-saving surgery in the Middle East during Easter holidays - Daily Record” — Daily Record
Critical coverage
“Scottish Labour MP flew to Donald Trump inauguration and held secret talks with Texan investor - Daily Record” — Daily Record
“Philippa Whitford: Eighth SNP MP to quit at next election - BBC” — BBC
Represented by Lab since 2024.
Election candidate criticises council's plan to close Ayr diving pool
Ayr Advertiser 📰 · 2 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£27,800
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£34,200
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
2,155
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Total Income Tax▼
£220m
from 44,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,690
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£5,010
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
29 councillors across 9 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayr North | Labour Party | Ian Cavana | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Ian Davis | May 2022 | |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Laura Brennan-Whitefield | May 2022 | |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Mark Dixon | May 2022 | |
| Irvine East | Conservative and Unionist Party | Angela Stephen | May 2022 |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Marie Burns | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Nairn McDonald | May 2022 | |
| Irvine South | Scottish National Party (SNP) | Christina Larsen | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Matthew McLean | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Robert Foster | May 2022 | |
| Irvine West | Scottish National Party (SNP) | Chloe Robertson | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Louise McPhater | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Scott Gallacher | May 2022 | |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Shaun Macaulay | May 2022 | |
| Kilwinning | Labour Party | Mary Hume | May 2024 |
| Kyle | Labour Party | Duncan Christopher Townson | May 2022 |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Julie Dettbarn | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Stephen Ferry | May 2022 | |
| Maybole North Carrick Coylton | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Brian Connolly | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Iain Campbell | May 2022 | |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | William Grant | May 2022 | |
| Prestwick | Labour Party | Cameron Ramsay | May 2022 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Hugh Hunter | May 2022 | |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Ian Cochrane | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Martin Kilbride | May 2022 | |
| Troon | Conservative and Unionist Party | Bob Pollock | May 2022 |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | Craig Mackay | May 2022 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Kenneth Bell | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Philip Saxton | May 2022 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 18,091 | 43.7% | |
| SNP | 11,222 | 27.1% | |
| Con | 6,147 | 14.8% | |
| Ref | 3,420 | 8.3% | |
| Ind | 1,039 | 2.5% | |
| LD | 983 | 2.4% | |
| Ind | 329 | 0.8% | |
| Ind | 188 | 0.5% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | SNP | 21,486 | 46.2% |
| Con | 16,182 | 34.8% | |
| Lab | 6,583 | 14.2% | |
| LD | 2,283 | 4.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | SNP | 16,771 | 37.2% |
| Con | 15,504 | 34.4% | |
| Lab | 11,762 | 26.1% | |
| LD | 1,050 | 2.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | SNP | 26,999 | 53.2% |
Won 2010 GE | Lab | 13,410 | 26.4% |
| Con | 8,803 | 17.3% | |
| LD | 917 | 1.8% | |
| Green | 645 | 1.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 20,950 | 47.7% | |
| Con | 8,943 | 20.4% | |
| SNP | 8,364 | 19.1% | |
| LD | 5,236 | 11.9% | |
| Ind | 422 | 1.0% |
Alan Gemmell has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
9 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Alan Gemmell, MP for Central Ayrshire, has resigned from his Government role as a parliamentary private secretary to take up a position on the Foreign Affairs committee. Gemmell, a former diplomat, has served in PPS roles at the Foreign Office and Home Office since his election in 2024.
This article covers Reform Scotland candidate controversies involving members' racist and anti-Muslim Facebook group activity, alongside separate coverage of Scottish Labour's education policy pledges and Labour MP Alan Gemmell's column on demining charity work.
A long-established cancer charity in Ayrshire is being forced to relocate after operating from the same location for 39 years, highlighting potential challenges to local health and community services.
MP Alan Gemmell's festive message highlights his community engagement activities, including a Christmas card competition with local schools and work packing gifts for a local charity. He also promotes his 'Ambitious Ayrshire' initiative, which brought Ayrshire businesses to Westminster for investment and jobs discussions.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell joined three other Ayrshire Labour MPs in hosting an 'Ambitious Ayrshire' inquiry, bringing 40 regional businesses to Westminster to discuss economic development. The MPs identified opportunities in aviation, manufacturing, and green energy while acknowledging challenges around skills gaps, infrastructure, and need for greater college funding.
Labour MP Alan Gemmell donated over 100 books to primary schools across Central Ayrshire after winning a World Book Day social media competition. The initiative saw the MP visit multiple schools including St Ninian's, Struthers, Muirhead, Annbank, Monkton, Elderbank, Springside, and Glebe, with plans to continue donations to more schools.
A major £15 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure is planned for a site in Ayrshire, potentially bringing significant economic development and jobs to the region.
MP Alan Gemmell is actively campaigning for Irvine in North Ayrshire to be designated as the UK's leading AI Growth Zone, citing the I3 site, clean power infrastructure, and local talent pool as competitive advantages. The initiative promises multi-billion pound investment, thousands of construction jobs, and hundreds of long-term high-quality employment in the AI sector.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell organized a walkabout in Bourtreehill after residents raised concerns about maintenance issues including broken glass, potholes, and overgrown vegetation. Following the visit, North Ayrshire Council agreed to undertake a comprehensive clean-up and maintenance programme including litter clearance, ground maintenance, pothole repairs, and street signage review.
The article reports on how Ayrshire MPs voted on the controversial Welfare Reform Bill, with Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell voting to support the government alongside two other Labour colleagues, while North Ayrshire and Arran MP Irene Campbell rebelled. Gemmell defended his vote, citing government commitments to employment support and protections for vulnerable claimants.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell hosted a public meeting on knife crime in Irvine following the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Kayden Moy in May. The MP committed to meetings with council leadership, police, and ScotRail to address residents' concerns about anti-social behaviour, police presence, and public transport, while also planning a regional knife crime summit.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell has campaigned for Aeralis to build replacement RAF Red Arrows jets at Prestwick, raising the issue in Parliament and highlighting potential creation of 4,000 UK jobs and the first British-built jet in 50 years. The Defence Minister responded positively, confirming the MoD is engaged with Aeralis on their aircraft concept.
Dr Philippa Whitford, the former SNP MP for Central Ayrshire, has paid tribute to her friend Nadia and her daughter Nadeen, who were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that broke a ceasefire. Whitford, a surgeon who previously worked in Gaza, expressed heartbreak at their deaths and criticised Israel's actions and UK government complicity.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell is holding constituent advice surgeries on March 14 at two locations (Loans and Symington), offering constituents the opportunity to meet with their MP to discuss concerns and seek assistance. The article provides practical information about booking appointments for these in-person surgeries.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell attended Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington as a guest of a Texan investor considering investment in the constituency. The visit has drawn criticism from opposition politicians while Gemmell defends it as a legitimate economic development opportunity for the area.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell attended Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC last month, claiming to have held secret talks with a Texan investor interested in investing in the constituency. The trip has drawn criticism for its secrecy, the lack of transparency about who he met, and the unusual positioning of a Labour MP at a Republican inauguration, while Gemmell insists the visit was self-funded and aimed at attracting investment to Ayrshire.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell organised a Christmas card design competition for local primary school pupils, with the winning design by Max from Glebe Primary School receiving endorsement from Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Three winners from schools across the constituency will receive prizes for their designs.
Three pupils from Central Ayrshire have won Alan Gemmell's Christmas card competition, highlighting a community engagement initiative by the local MP.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell met with WASPI campaigners to discuss state pension inequality affecting women born in the 1950s. The group is seeking fair and fast compensation from the new government for changes to state pension age that lacked adequate notice.
Alan Gemmell, Labour MP for Central Ayrshire, is interviewed by The Times about his background as a diplomat, his motivations for entering politics, and his novel. The article appears to be a profile piece introducing the new MP to constituents.
Alan Gemmell, the newly elected Labour MP for Central Ayrshire, has won the seat with 43.7% of the vote in a Labour landslide that swept all four SNP-held Ayrshire seats. Gemmell, a former diplomat, expressed his commitment to representing local families and pledged to deliver change on cost-of-living, energy, and NHS crises that constituents cited during the campaign.
Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra members performed at prestigious venues in London during Burns Night celebrations, including the House of Commons and 10 Downing Street, showcasing Scottish cultural talent at the highest levels of government. The performances were organised by Central Ayrshire MP Dr Philippa Whitford and hosted alongside Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Allan Dorans.
Richard Walker, founding editor of The National newspaper, has been nominated as the SNP candidate for Central Ayrshire, a seat being vacated by retiring MP Dr Philippa Whitford at the next general election. Walker is a Troon resident with extensive media background and a history of SNP support.
Dr Philippa Whitford, the Central Ayrshire MP, has announced she will stand down at the next general election, becoming the eighth SNP MP to confirm they are not seeking re-election. She cited aggression and contempt towards SNP MPs as a factor in her decision, though described her eight years in Parliament as rewarding.
Troon's new banking hub officially opened, providing vital cash access and banking services after the last bank branch closed in September 2022. Both Central Ayrshire MP Dr Philippa Whitford and Ayr MSP Siobhian Brown attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, praising the facility's importance to the community.
Dr Philippa Whitford MP for Central Ayrshire is supporting Lord Bird's Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill, which reached its Third Reading in the House of Lords. The cross-party backed Bill aims to embed long-term thinking into UK policy-making to address issues like climate change, poverty, and health inequalities. Whitford expressed particular support for the Bill's 'Health in ALL Policies' approach to wellbeing.
Derek Stillie, a former Scottish footballer turned lawyer, is standing as the Conservative candidate in Central Ayrshire for the December 2019 general election. He will challenge incumbent SNP MP Philippa Whitford and Labour candidate Louise McPhater.
Central Ayrshire MP Dr Philippa Whitford used her Easter recess to perform life-saving breast cancer surgery in Palestine, carrying out four major operations in East Jerusalem and providing advisory support in Gaza. The article highlights her medical expertise and commitment to international humanitarian work, demonstrating active engagement beyond parliamentary duties.
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