Editing Ayr (section)

===Parliamentary representation===
{{Further|Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (UK Parliament constituency)}} {{Further|Ayr (Scottish Parliament constituency)}}

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 | image1 = Official portrait of Elaine Stewart MP crop 2.jpg
 | alt1 = Elaine Stewart 
 | caption1 = [[Elaine Stewart (politician)|Elaine Stewart]] has been the MP for Ayr since 2024

 | image2 = Siobhian Brown MSP.jpg
 | alt2 = Siobhian Brown 
 | caption2 = [[Siobhian Brown]] has been the MSP for Ayr since 2021 
}}

Ayr was represented by a Conservative MP continuously for a period of 91 years – from [[1906 United Kingdom general election|1906]] (as part of the [[Ayr Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)|Ayr Burghs]] constituency) until [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]], followed by Labour from 1997 to 2015, and the Scottish National Party from 2015 to 2017. The town forms part of the [[Ayr (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Ayr]] constituency in the [[Scottish Parliament]], which was the first Conservative constituency seat in the Parliament, but has been represented by [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP) MSP [[Siobhian Brown]] since the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]]. In the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|UK Parliament]], Ayr is situated within the [[Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (UK Parliament constituency)|Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock]] constituency which was represented by Conservative MP [[Bill Grant (politician)|Bill Grant]] from the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], until he was unseated in the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] by [[Allan Dorans]] of the Scottish National Party.

Ayr forms part of the UK parliamentary [[constituency]] of [[Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (UK Parliament constituency)|Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock]]. This constituency includes [[Carrick, Scotland|Carrick]] and [[Coylton]] in South Ayrshire in addition to Doon Valley, [[Cumnock]] and [[New Cumnock]] in southern [[East Ayrshire]].<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130403024100/http%3A//www.bcomm%2Dscotland.independent.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file%3D/maps/westminster/2005/ayr_carrick_and_cumnock.pdf 'Boundary Commission for Scotland UK Parliament 2005 onwards Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock county constituency']</ref> The seat was held by [[Scottish Conservative Party|Conservative]] [[Bill Grant (politician)|Bill Grant]] from 2017 until [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]] when [[Allan Dorans]] gained the seat for the Scottish National Party. The [[Central Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Central Ayrshire]] constituency runs north of the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency. It takes in the towns of Irvine, Kilwinning, Prestwick, Troon and rural Kyle, running into Annbank. It also incorporates the Woodfield area of Newton-on-Ayr and is represented by [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] MP [[Philippa Whitford]].<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121003180143/http%3A//bcomm%2Dscotland.independent.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file%3D/maps/westminster/2005/central_ayrshire.pdf 'Boundary Commission for Scotland UK Parliament 2005 onwards Central Ayrshire county constituency']</ref>

In previous elections Ayr was represented in Westminster as part of the [[Ayr (UK Parliament constituency)|Ayr]] parliamentary constituency, the boundaries of which included elements of Prestwick, [[Troon]] and rural South Ayrshire. The seat was abolished in [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]] to be replaced by the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock and Central Ayrshire constituencies which were subsequently represented by MP's belonging to [[Scottish Labour Party|Labour]], and later, the SNP. From the seat's creation in [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950]] until the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]] Ayr was continually represented by MP's from the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]. [[George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie|George Younger]] served as Member of Parliament for the constituency for most of this period – serving as MP for Ayr from [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964]] to [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/jan/27/guardianobituaries.obituaries|title=Lord Younger|newspaper=Guardian|date=27 January 2003 |access-date=8 August 2015 |last1=Roth |first1=Andrew }}</ref> In 1997 the boundaries of the constituency were altered in a move which saw the Conservative areas of Alloway, Doonfoot and Masonhill alongside parts of Kincaidston and Forehill being transferred to the neighbouring [[Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley]] constituency, benefiting the Labour Party.<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130403010443/http://www.bcomm-scotland.independent.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file=/maps/westminster/1997/ayr.pdf 'Fourth Review of UK Parliament Constituencies (1997–2005) Ayr county constituency']</ref> Prior to this Ayr formed part of the [[Ayr Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)|Ayr Burghs]] constituency which combined various towns along the Ayrshire coast such as [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]], [[Troon]], [[Prestwick]], [[Ardrossan]] and [[Saltcoats]]: this seat was held by the Conservatives from 1906 until the constituency's abolishment in 1950, making Ayr the longest seat to be held by the Conservatives in Scotland at over 100 years.

In the [[Scottish Parliament]], the [[Ayr (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Ayr constituency]] was represented from 2000 to 2021 by Conservative MSP [[John Scott (MSP)|John Scott]] until he was defeated at the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election|2021 election]] by the SNP's [[Siobhian Brown]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ayr - Scottish Parliament constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2021/scotland/constituencies/S16000084 |access-date=9 May 2021 |work=BBC News |date=7 May 2021}}</ref> It was the first constituency in the Scottish Parliament to elect a Conservative MSP. The constituency also includes the towns of Prestwick and Troon.

Ayr is also represented at Holyrood by the seven MSPs for the [[South Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|South Scotland electoral region]].