Campaigning is now well underway for this year’s UK General Election, following Rishi Sunak’s shock announcement that it would take place on Thursday, July 4.
In Scotland there are a number of intriguing contests set to play out in constituencies the length and breadth of the country, as the Conservatives, SNP, Labour Party and Liberal Democrats all look to defend seats won in 2019 and steal others from their rivals.
For some candidates the chances of winning are significantly higher than others, particularly for those sitting on large majorities.
But some seats were won by tiny margins in the last General Election, making this year’s results more unpredictable, particularly in those seats impacted by boundary changes.
Here are Scotland’s 10 most marginal seats, who won them last time, their closest competitors, and how they have been affected by boundary changes.
5. West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
The constituency of West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine has not been impacted by boundary changes. In 2019 Conservative candidate Andrew Bowie won the election, bating the SNP by 843 seats - a 1.6 per cent majority. | Getty Images
6. Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
The new constituency of Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy is broadly similar to the old seat of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, just extending slightly more to the east and less to the north. In 2019 the SNP's Neale Hanvey won Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath by 1,243 - a 2.6 per cent majority over the Labour Party. Hanvey later defected to the Alba Party. | Contributed
7. North East Fife
The North East Fife constituency is broadly the same after boundary changes, only extending very slightly further south. In 2019 Lib Wendy Chamberlain was victorious, polling 1,316 more votes than the SNP - a 2.9 per cent majority. | Getty Images
8. Dumfries and Galloway
The constituency of Dumfries and Galloway has also remained largely unaffected by boundary changes - with only minor tweaks to its easterly boundary. Last General Election saw Alister Jack, who served as Secretary of State for Scotland in the last govenment, win for the Conservatives by 1,805 votes from the SNP - a majority of 3.5 per cent. | Getty Images