Glasgow Central (UK Parliament constituency)

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Glasgow Central
Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Glasgow Central in Scotland.
Subdivisions of Scotland City of Glasgow
Current constituency
Created 2005 (2005)
Member of Parliament Anas Sarwar (Labour)
Created from Glasgow Govan
Glasgow Kelvin
Glasgow Shettleston
Glasgow Pollok
Glasgow Rutherglen
1885 (1885)–1997 (1997)
Number of members One
Type of constituency Burgh constituency
Created from Glasgow
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency Scotland

Glasgow Central is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (at Westminster). In its current form, the constituency was first used in the general election of 2005, but there was also a Glasgow Central constituency from 1885 to 1997.

Contents

Boundaries [edit]

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 provided that the constituency was to consist of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Municipal Wards.[1]

In 1918 the constituency consisted of "That portion of the city which is bounded by a line commencing at a point at the intersection of the centre lines of Parliamentary Road and Castle Street, thence southward along the centre line of Castle Street to the centre line of Alexandra Parade, thence eastward along the centre line of Alexandra Parade to the centre line of Firpark Street, thence southward along the centre line of Firpark Street and Ark Lane to the centre line of Duke Street, thence westward along the centre line of Duke Street to the centre line of Sydney Street, thence southward along the centre line of Sydney Street to the centre line of Gallowgate, thence westward along the centre line of Gallowgate to the centre line of Saltmarket, thence southward along the centre line of Saltmarket and Albert Bridge to the centre line of the River Clyde, thence westward along the centre line of the River Clyde to a point in line with the centre line of McAlpine Street, thence northward along the centre line of McAlpine Street, Pitt Street and Scott Street to the centre line of New City Road, thence south-eastward along the centre line of New City Road and Cowcaddens to the centre line of Buchanan Street, thence southward along the centre line of Buchanan Street to the centre line of Parliamentary Road, thence north-eastward along the centre line of Parliamentary Road to the point of commencement."

Glasgow Central is now one of seven constituencies covering the Glasgow City council area. All are entirely within the council area. Prior to the 2005 general election, the city area was covered by ten constituencies, of which two straddled boundaries with other council areas.

The Central constituency, as defined in 2005, includes parts of the former Glasgow Govan, Glasgow Kelvin, Glasgow Shettleston, Glasgow Pollok and Glasgow Rutherglen constituencies.[2] Scottish Parliament constituencies retain the names and boundaries of the older Westminster constituencies.

The new Central constituency sits across the River Clyde, and includes the areas of Kelvingrove, Anderston, Merchant City, Calton, Pollokshields, and Govanhill.

Proposed changes [edit]

As part of the Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which commenced in 2011, the Boundary Commission for Scotland has proposed alterations to the existing Glasgow Central.[3] The modified Glasgow Central would take approximately a third of the existing Central and North seats, a further 10,640 voters from South West, nearly 12,900 voters from North West and a small part of North East[4]

Under the proposals, the modified Central constituency would consist of the full electoral wards of Anderston/City and Hillhead, and parts of the electoral wards of Govan and Partick West. The Commission's description is;

The proposed constituency boundary follows ward boundaries in Glasgow City council area with 2 exceptions: ward 5 (Govan),where the boundary follows Wallace Street, Morrison Street, the A8 road (Paisley Road West, Ediston Drive and Shieldhall Road) and the A739 Clyde Tunnel approach road; and ward 12 (Partick West), where it follows the railway line and the A739 road (Crow Road and the Clyde Tunnel approach road)

Constituency profile [edit]

The constituency takes in Glasgow city centre, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the main rail stations, Glasgow Cathedral and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. All three of Glasgow's universities are here as well, making it supposedly the most educated constituency in Scotland. The large student population is an important factor in elections. The Merchant City is also here, yuppie housing built out of the disused cotton and tobacco warehouses. This area is a symbol of the rebirth of the city, and Glasgow Central is undoubtedly the most affluent constituency in Glasgow, although it also includes more deprived areas, such as Calton.

Members of Parliament [edit]

MPs 1885–1997 [edit]

Election Member [5] Party
1885 Gilbert Beith Liberal
1886 John George Alexander Baird Conservative
1906 Andrew Mitchell Torrance Liberal
1909 by-election Charles Scott Dickson Conservative
1915 by-election John Mackintosh McLeod Conservative
1918 Andrew Bonar Law Unionist
1923 William Alexander Unionist
1945 James Hutchison Unionist
1950 James McInnes Labour
1966 Thomas McMillan Labour
1980 by-election Robert McTaggart Labour
1989 by-election Mike Watson Labour
1997 constituency abolished

MPs since 2005 [edit]

Election Member [5] Party
2005 Mohammad Sarwar Labour
2010 Anas Sarwar Labour

Election results [edit]

Elections in the 2010s [edit]

General Election 2010: Glasgow Central[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anas Sarwar 15,908 52.0 +3.8
SNP Osama Saeed 5,357 17.5 +2.7
Liberal Democrat Chris Young 5,010 16.4 -1.4
Conservative John Bradley 2,158 7.1 +0.8
Scottish Green Alastair Whitelaw 800 2.6 -2.3
BNP Ian Holt 616 2.0 -0.4
Scottish Socialist James Nesbitt 357 1.2 -2.8
UKIP Ramsay Urquhart 246 0.8 +0.8
Pirate Finlay Archibald 128 0.4 N/A
Majority 10,551 34.5
Turnout 30,572 50.9 +7.0

Elections in the 2000s [edit]

General Election 2005: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mohammad Sarwar 13,518 48.2 -6.5
Liberal Democrat Isabel Nelson 4,987 17.8 +8.2
SNP Bill Kidd 4,148 14.8 -6.1
Conservative Richard Sullivan 1,757 6.3 +0.1
Scottish Green Gordon Masterton 1,372 4.9 N/A
Scottish Socialist Marie Gordon 1,110 4.0 -2.5
BNP Walter Hamilton 671 2.4 N/A
Socialist Labour Ian Johnson 255 0.9 +0.5
Christian Vote Thomas Greig 139 0.5 N/A
Communist Elinor McKenzie 80 0.3 +0.1
Majority 8,531 30.4
Turnout 28,037 43.8 +4.4
Labour hold Swing -7.3

Elections in the 1990s [edit]

General Election 1992: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mike Watson 17,341 57.2 -7.3
SNP Brendan O'Hara 6,322 20.8 +10.9
Conservative Ewen N. Stewart 4,208 13.9 +0.8
Liberal Democrat Alan Rennie 1,921 6.3 -4.2
Scottish Green Ms. Irene F. Brandt 435 1.4 +0.6
Communist Tam Dean Burn 106 0.4 -0.4
Majority 11,019 36.3
Turnout 30,333 63.1
Labour hold Swing -9.09

Elections in the 1980s [edit]

Glasgow Central by-election, 1989
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mike Watson 14,480 54.6 -9.9
SNP Alex Neil 8,018 30.2 +20.3
Conservative A. Hogarth 2,028 7.6 -5.4
Scottish Green I. F. Brandt 1,019 3.8 +1.9
Social and Liberal Democrats R. McCreadie 411 1.5 -9.0
Social Democrat P. Kerr 253 1.0 N/A
Revolutionary Communist L. Murdoch 141 0.5 N/A
Scottish Socialist Bill Kidd 137 0.5 N/A
Workers Revolutionary D. Lettice 48 0.2 N/A
Majority 6,462 24.4 -27.1
Turnout 52.9
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1987: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert McTaggart 21,619 64.5
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 4,366 13.0
Liberal J. Bryden 3,528 10.5
SNP A. Wilson 3,339 10.0
Green A. Brooks 290 0.9 N/A
Communist J. McGoldrick 265 0.8
Red Front D. Owen 126 0.4 N/A
Majority 17,253 51.5
Turnout 65.6
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1983: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert McTaggart 17,066 53.0
Conservative W. Harvey 6,104 19.0
Liberal I. Nelson 5,366 16.7 N/A
SNP P. Mallam 3,300 10.3
Communist J. McGoldrick 347 1.1
Majority 10,962 34.1
Turnout 62.8
Labour hold Swing
Glasgow Central by-election, 1980
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert McTaggart 4,902 60.8 -11.7
SNP Gil Paterson 2,122 26.3 +16.2
Conservative Anna McCurley 707 8.8 -7.6
National Front John MacKenzie 148 1.8 N/A
Scottish Young Liberal Graham Watson 134 1.7 N/A
Ecology David Mellor 45 0.6 N/A
Social Democrat (1979) Donald Kean 10 0.1 N/A
Majority 2,780
Turnout 8,062
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s [edit]

General Election 1979: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas McMillan 8,542 72.5
Conservative F. Saleem 1,937 16.4
SNP S. Bird 1,308 11.1
Majority 6,605 56.0
Turnout 11,787 59.5
Labour hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas McMillan 9,231 63.6
SNP B. Nugent 2,790 19.2
Conservative N. Woolfson 1,880 13.0
Liberal E. Bennett 605 4.2
Majority 6,441 44.4
Turnout 56.9
Labour hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas McMillan 9,400 58.7
Conservative M. Gourlay 3,435 21.4
SNP S. Ewing 2,790 19.2
Liberal A. Brodie 982 6.1 N/A
Majority 5,965 37.2
Turnout 63.0
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1970: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas McMillan 7,936 66.0
Conservative G. Rennie 2,394 19.9
SNP A. McIntosh 1,688 14.1 N/A
Majority 5,542 46.1
Turnout 59.2
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s [edit]

General Election 1966: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas McMillan 11,673 74.8
Conservative R. Anderson 3,924 25.2
Majority 7,749 49.7
Turnout 58.7
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1964: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McInnes 13,343 70.2
Unionist G. Boyd 5,679 29.9
Majority 7,664 40.3
Turnout 62.4
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s [edit]

General Election 1959: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McInnes 15,918 64.6
Unionist I. Barber-Fleming 8,712 35.4
Majority 7,206 29.3
Turnout 67.4
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1955: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McInnes 16,674 61.8
Unionist I. Barber-Fleming 10,307 38.2
Majority 6,367 23.6
Turnout 62.7
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1951: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McInnes 15,757 58.2
Unionist W. Sinclair 10,875 40.2
United Socialist Movement Guy Aldred 411 1.5
Majority 4,882 18.1
Turnout 74.3
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1950: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McInnes 14,861 54.6
Unionist James Hutchison 11,857 43.6
United Socialist Movement Guy Aldred 485 1.8
Majority 3,004 11.0
Turnout 73.6
Labour gain from Unionist Swing

Elections in the 1940s [edit]

General Election 1945: Glasgow Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. James Riley Holt Hutchison 9,365 44.0
Labour James McInnes 7,849 36.9
Communist R. Cooney 2,709 12.7
Liberal Maj. Norman Macleod Glen 1,072 5.0
United Socialist Movement Guy Alfred Aldred 300 1.4
Majority 1,516 7.1
Turnout 21,295 59.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s [edit]

General Election 1935: Glasgow Central [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Brig Gen Sir William Alexander 16,707 55.9
Labour R. R. Stokes 13,186 44.1
Majority 3,521 11.8
Turnout 29,893
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1931: Glasgow Central[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Brig Gen Sir William Alexander KBE CB CMG DSO TD 21,547 65.3
Labour William Martin 11,456 34.7
Majority 10,091 30.6
Turnout 33,003
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s [edit]

General Election 1924: Glasgow Central [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Brig Gen Sir William Alexander 18,258
Labour J.D. White 12,617
General Election 1923:

Glasgow Central [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Brig Gen Sir William Alexander 13,392
Labour E.R. Mitchell 12,976
Liberal Harold John Tennant 2,870

Elections in the 1910s [edit]

General Election 1918: Glasgow Central [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Andrew Bonar Law 17,653
Labour David John Mitchel Quin 4,736
By-election 15 July 1915: Glasgow Central [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist John Mackintosh MacLeod 5,341
Unionist Gavin William Ralston 266
General Election Dec 1910: Glasgow Central [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon Charles Dickson KC 6,888
Liberal Prof. Alexander Falconer Murison LLD 5,907
General Election Jan 1910: Glasgow Central [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon Charles Dickson KC 6,713
Liberal Prof. Alexander Falconer Murison LLD 6,058

Elections in the 1900s [edit]

General Election 1906: Glasgow Central [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andrew Mitchell Torrance 6,720 51.7
Conservative John George Alexander Baird 6,289 48.3
General Election 1900: Glasgow Central [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John George Alexander Baird unopposed

Elections in the 1890s [edit]

General Election 1895: Glasgow Central [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John George Alexander Baird 5,621
Liberal Edwin Adam 3,792
General Election 1892: Glasgow Central [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John George Alexander Baird 6,085
Liberal Walter Menzies 5,245

Elections in the 1880s [edit]

General Election 1886: Glasgow Central [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John George Alexander Baird 5,780
Liberal Gilbert Beith 4,423
General Election 1885: Glasgow Central [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Gilbert Beith 5,846
Conservative John George Alexander Baird 4,779

Notes and references [edit]

  1. ^ Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Sixth Schedule
  2. ^ Fifth Periodical Review, Boundary Commission for Scotland
  3. ^ Revised proposals - Scotland Boundary Commission for Scotland
  4. ^ Revised Proposals - LINK TO EXCEL SPREADSHEETS Boundary Commission for Scotland
  5. ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "G" (part 1)[self-published source][better source needed]
  6. ^ Glasgow Central, UKPollingReport
  7. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  8. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  9. ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  10. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
  11. ^ a b c d Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  12. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  13. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  14. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  15. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889

See also [edit]

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Caernarvon Boroughs		 Constituency represented by the Prime Minister
1922–1923		 Succeeded by
Bewdley
Constituencies in Scotland by Holding Party (59)
Labour (40)
Liberal Democrat (11)
Scottish National Party (6)
Conservative (1)
Independent (1)
Burgh
constituencies
County
constituencies
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