East Renfrewshire (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox alt
Name = East Renfrewshire


Type = County
Entity = Scotland
DivisionType = Council areas
Division = East Renfrewshire
Year = 1885, 2005
MP = Jim Murphy
Party = Labour
EP = Scotland

East Renfrewshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (in Westminster). It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

History

The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. It was abolished for the 1983 general election, when it was partially replaced by the new Eastwood constituency.

The East Renfrewshire constituency was re-established for the 2005 general election, with the same boundaries as the previous Eastwood constituency. Despite the change of name, it is the only constituency in mainland Scotland whose boundaries were unchanged by the 2005 revision of Scottish constituencies.

Boundaries and local government areas

As created in 1885 the constituency was one of four covering the area of the the county of Renfrewshire (except the burgh of Renfrew and the burgh of Port Glasgow, which were components of Kilmarnock Burghs until 1918). The four constituencies were: East Renfrewshire, West Renfrewshire, Paisley and Greenock. Greenock was enlarged and renamed Greenock and Port Glasgow in 1974.

From 1885 the constituency consisted of the parishes of Eastwood, Cathcart, Mearns and Eaglesham, and part of the parish of Govan. [ Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Seventh Schedule, Part II ]

From 1918 the constituency consisted of "The Upper County District, inclusive of all burghs situated therein, except the burghs of Paisley and Johnstone, together with so much of the burgh of Renfrew as is contained within the parish of Govan in the county of Lanark."

The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, eight years after the creation of local government regions and districts in 1975. The new constitumecy, with revised bounbdaries, was called Eastwood.

In 1996 the area of the Eastwood constituency became, also, the East Renfrewshire unitary council area.

In 1999 a Scottish Parliament constituency was created with the name and boundaries of the Eastwood Westminster constituency.

In the widespread redistribution of Scottish seats for the 2005 general election, the name of the Eastwood Westminster constituency was changed back to "East Renfrewshire".

Population and politics

The constituency is on the borders of Glasgow, and is mostly middle-class residential territory for Glasgow. The area was looked on as safely Conservative before Labour gained the seat in 1997.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885-1983

MPs 2005-present

Election results

Elections in the 2000s

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: East RenfrewshireElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Jim Murphy
votes = 20,815
percentage = 43.9%
change = -3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Richard Cook
votes = 14,158
percentage = 29.9%
change = +1.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Gordon Macdonald
votes = 8,659
percentage = 18.3%
change = +5.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Osama Bhutta
votes = 3,245
percentage = 6.8%
change = -1.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish Socialist Party
candidate = Ian Henderson
votes = 528
percentage = 1.1%
change = -0.6Election box majority
votes = 6,657
percentage = 14.0%
change = Election box turnout
votes = 47,405
percentage = 72.1
change = +2.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -2.4

Elections in the 1930s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Marquess of Clydesdale
votes = 27,740
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = J. Strain
votes = 12,477
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = W.O. Brown
votes = 6,498
percentage =
change =

Election box begin
title=General Election, 1935: East RenfrewshireElection box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = The Marquess of Cydesdale
votes = 35,121
percentage = 55.6
change = −3.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = J. Barr
votes = 21,475
percentage = 34.0
change = +7.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = W.O. Brown
votes = 6,593
percentage = 10.4
change = −3.5Election box majority
votes = 13,646
percentage = 21.5
change = −11.2Election box turnout
votes = 63,189
percentage = 75.9
change = −4.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)
swing = −6.6

Election box begin
title=East Renfrewshire by-election, 9th May 1940Election box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = Guy Lloyd
votes = 34,316
percentage = 80.7
change = +25.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Labour Party
candidate = Annie Maxton
votes = 8,206
percentage = 19.3
change = N/AElection box majority
votes = 26,110
percentage = 61.4
change = +39.8Election box turnout
votes = 42,522
percentage = 43.4
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)
swing =

Elections in the 1940s

Election box begin
title=General Election, 1945: East RenfrewshireElection box candidate with party link
party = Unionist Party (Scotland)
candidate = Guy Lloyd
votes = 42,310
percentage = 53.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Co-operative
candidate = D. McArthur
votes = 36,634
percentage = 46.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 5,676
percentage = +7.2
change = Election box turnout
votes = 78,944
percentage = 67.2
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Unionist Party (Scotland)
swing =

Elections in the 1900s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Robert Laidlaw
votes = 6,896
percentage = 50.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Michael Hugh Shaw-Stewart Bt
votes = 6,801
percentage = 49.7
change =

Elections in the 1880s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = James Finlayson
votes = 3,642
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Allan Gilmour, jun
votes = 3,144
percentage =
change =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Michael Hugh Shaw-Stewart
votes = 3,806
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = James Samuelson
votes = 2,438
percentage =
change =

References

See also

* East Renfrewshire by-election, 1926
* East Renfrewshire by-election, 1930
* East Renfrewshire by-election, 1940
* Eastwood (UK Parliament constituency) (1983-2005)