Glasgow East

History

Prior to the 2005 general election, the city area was covered by ten constituencies, of which two straddled boundaries with other council areas. The Glasgow East constituency includes the area of the former Glasgow Baillieston constituency and parts of the former Glasgow Shettleston constituency. Scottish Parliament constituencies retain the names and boundaries of the older Westminster constituencies.

It was once one of the safest seats for the Labour Party, the areas included in the constituency having returned solely Labour MPs since the 1930s. Glasgow Baillieston had always been represented by MPs from the Labour Party, as was the predecessor Glasgow Provan constituency from its creation in 1955. Glasgow Shettleston was won by the Labour Party at every general election from 1950 onwards (in 1945 it was won by the Independent Labour Party).

However, it achieved national prominence when a by-election in 2008 saw the Scottish National Party overturn a majority of over 13,000 votes to gain the seat (see below). Since then, it has been tightly fought by Labour and the SNP.

At the 2010 general election, the seat was regained for Labour by Margaret Curran from John Mason of the SNP with a large majority of more than 11,000 votes.

During the 2015 general election there was a nationwide surge of support for the SNP, as pro-independence voters rallied to support the party in unprecedented numbers. After votes were counted The Guardian reported: "The SNP swept aside once-unassailable majorities for Labour with swings as high as 35%, as voters threw out Jim Murphy, the Scottish Labour leader, its former deputy leader, Anas Sarwar, and Margaret Curran, the shadow Scottish secretary [in Glasgow East]."

At the 2016 EU referendum, the House of Commons Library estimates that 53% of local voters opted for Britain to Remain a member of the EU, while 47% voted to leave.

The 2017 general election result in the constituency was that election's tenth-closest result, with David Linden of the SNP holding the seat by a margin of 75 votes. Amid a nationwide backlash against Nicola Sturgeon's plans for a second independence referendum, the SNP's share of the vote dropped by 18%, the Conservative vote nearly trebled and Labour picked up votes from left-wing voters excited by Jeremy Corbyn and the British Labour Party's socialist platform.

In 2019, Linden was re-elected with an increased majority of 5,566 votes, making the seat a comfortable SNP majority. However, at the 2024 general election, the SNP's vote slumped once again and Linden was defeated by Labour's John Grady with a majority of 3,784 on a notional swing of 13%.

2008 by-election

Main article: 2008 Glasgow East by-election

On 28 June 2008, the sitting MP David Marshall announced he would step down because of a stress-related illness; he was appointed Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 30 June 2008, thus effectively resigning from the House of Commons. Although the seat represented Labour's third-largest majority in Scotland, it faced a strong challenge from the Scottish National Party, hot on the heels of Labour's disastrous performance at the 2008 Henley by-election. Nominations for candidates closed at 4pm on 9 July, and the election took place on 24 July.

On 25 July 2008, and after a recount, the SNP candidate John Mason won the seat with a narrow majority of 365 votes over the Labour Party candidate, Margaret Curran.

Boundaries

2005–2024

Under the Fifth Review of UK Parliament constituencies which came into effect for the 2005 general election, the boundaries were defined in accordance with the ward structure in place on 30 November 2004 as containing the Glasgow City Council wards of Parkhead, Queenslie, Greenfield, Barlanark, Shettleston, Tollcross Park, Braidfauld, Mount Vernon, Baillieston, Garrowhill, Garthamlock and Easterhouse. Further to reviews of local government ward boundaries which came into effect in 2007 and 2017, but did not affect the parliamentary boundaries, the constituency comprised the City of Glasgow Council wards or part wards of: Calton (minority), East Centre (majority), Shettleston, Baillieston and North East (majority).

2024–present

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election the constituency boundaries were significantly re-drawn, to take in a large part of the abolished constituency of Glasgow Central, including the districts of Merchant City, Calton, Bridgeton and Dalmarnock, as well as areas to the south of the River Clyde such as Gorbals, Govanhill and Hutchesontown. To compensate, areas to the north of the main east-west railway, including the districts of Queenslie, Greenfield, Barlanark, Garthamlock and Easterhouse were transferred to Glasgow North East.

The constituency currently consists of the following wards or part wards of the City of Glasgow:

• The bulk of Southside Central ward - excluding a small area to the north of Queen's Park;
• the bulk of Calton ward - except a small strip between the main east-west railway and Duke Street;
• a small part of Anderston/City/Yorkhill ward comprising the Merchant City area;
• the whole of Shettleston ward; and
• the bulk of Baillieston ward - except the area between the main east-west railway and the M8 (Queenslie).

Constituency profile

Glasgow East is one of six constituencies covering the Glasgow City Council area taking in the areas of: Baillieston, Carmyle, Parkhead, Shettleston and Tollcross. It formerly included Easterhouse and Gartloch. Further to the 2023 boundary review, it also includes the areas of: Calton, Bridgeton, Dalmarnock, Gorbals, Govanhill and Hutchesontown.

The constituency is one of the most deprived constituencies in the UK. In 2008, nearly 40% of adults smoke (UK average at the time was 19.2%), and on average there were 25 drug-related deaths a year. Average male life expectancy is 68, five years less than the Scottish average, while in the Shettleston area it is 63. A 2008 World Health Organization report gave the average male life expectancy in Calton as 54, which is lower than it was before the Second World War.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Notes

References

♯ This reference gives all recent Glasgow City Westminster election results. You select the year and then the constituency to view the result.

References

1. "2023 review final recs news release". Boundary Commission for Scotland.
2. "''Fifth Periodical Report'', Boundary Commission for Scotland".
3. (8 May 2015). "SNP avalanche sweeps aside Douglas Alexander and Jim Murphy".
4. Dempsey, Noel. (6 February 2017). "Brexit: votes by constituency".
5. (9 June 2017). "General election 2017: Sturgeon says Indyref2 'a factor' in SNP losses".
6. MacAskill, Ewen. (23 August 2017). "'Labour is coming back in Scotland': party predicts revival as Corbyn heads north".
7. Library, House of Commons. (23 June 2017). "GE2017: Marginal seats and turnout".
8. (2008). "Manor of Northstead". [[HM Treasury.
9. (2008-06-28). "Gordon Brown faces by-election test as veteran Scots MP David Marshal quits over illness". The Daily Record.
10. "Notice of By-election for the UK Parliament".
11. BBC Scotland election coverage, Friday 25 July 2008
12. "New Seat Details – Glasgow East".
13. [https://www.bcomm-scotland.independent.gov.uk/reviews/2023-review-uk-parliament-constituencies 2023 Review UK Parliament constituencies] {{Webarchive. link. (26 January 2025 Boundary Commission for Scotland)
14. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
15. (2008-06-12). "Struggle for survival in Labour heartland". [[The Independent]].
16. (2008-07-02). "Glasgow as bad as the Gaza Strip, says SNP leader". The Daily Telegraph.
17. (28 August 2008). "Social factors key to ill health". BBC News.
18. {{Rayment-hc. g. 1. (March 2012)
19. "Westminster Elections 2024 – Glasgow East".
20. "Glasgow East results". BBC News.
21. "Glasgow East notional election - December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
22. "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll".
23. "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019".
24. (28 January 2020). "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
25. Glasgow Young Scot, 20 Trongate. (11 May 2017). "General Election 2017 – Glasgow candidates announced".
26. "Glasgow East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017".
27. (29 January 2019). "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
28. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
29. link. (24 September 2015)
30. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
31. "Glasgow East: Constituency". [[The Guardian]].
32. Press Association. (2008-07-02). "By-election candidates selected". [[Johnston Press Digital Publishing]].
33. (2008-07-04). "In full: Glasgow East candidates". [[British Broadcasting Corporation]].
34. (2006-09-06). "Freedom-4-Choice party registration". [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom).
35. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
36. "Glasgow East". [[Financial Times]].
37. "Election 2005 Result: Glasgow East". [[BBC]].