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East Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
East Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
(Westminster
). It elects one Member of Parliament
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
The current constituency was first used in the 2005 general election
. There was also an earlier East Dunbartonshire constituency, from 1950 to 1983.
The East Dunbartonshire constituency is entirely within the East Dunbartonshire council area, and the rest of the council area is covered by the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency, which also covers part of the North Lanarkshire council area. The rest of the North Lanarkshire area is covered by the Airdrie and Shotts
, Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, and Motherwell and Wishaw
constituencies.
The East Dunbartonshire constituency replaced most of the Strathkelvin and Bearsden
constituency and some of the Clydebank and Milngavie
constituency and some of the Coatbridge and Chryston
constituency.
The Fifth Periodical Review did not affect the boundaries of Scottish Parliament constituencies, which retain the boundaries of Westminster constituencies prior to implementation of the results of the review.
, and first used in the 1950 general election
.
As created in 1950, the constituency was one of two covering the county of Dunbarton. The other was West Dunbartonshire
. The two new constituencies replaced the earlier constituencies of Dunbartonshire
and Dumbarton Burghs.
East Dunbartonshire covered the Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch, and New Kilpatrick districts of the county
and the burgh
s of Clydebank
, Kirkintilloch
, and Milngavie
.
For the 1951 general election
the constituency boundaries were adjusted to take account of a change to the boundaries of the burgh of Clydebank.
The results of the First Periodical Review of the Boundary Commission were implemented for the 1955 general election
, but there was no change to the boundaries of East Dunbartonshire, and the boundaries of 1951 and 1955 were used also in the general election
s of 1959
, 1964
, 1966
and 1970
.
The results of the Second Periodical Review were implemented for the February 1974 general election
. The review took account of population growth in the county of Dunbarton, caused by overspill from the city of Glasgow
into the new town of Cumbernauld and elsewhere, and East Dunbartonshire became one of three constituencies covering the county. East Dunbartonshire now covered the Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld districts of the county and the burghs of Bearsden
, Cumbernauld, and Kirkintilloch, but it lost Clydebank
and Milngavie
to the new constituency of Central Dunbartonshire
. These boundaries were used also for the general elections of October 1974
and 1979
.
In 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
, Scottish counties were abolished in favour of regions and districts
and islands council areas
, and the county of Dunbarton was divided between several districts of the new region of Strathclyde. The Third Periodical Review took account of new local government boundaries, and the results were implemented for the 1983 general election
.
The October 1974 result was also particularly unusual since it produced both the smallest majority in the UK at that election, and the closest three-way result since 1945.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
(Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
). It elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
The current constituency was first used in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. There was also an earlier East Dunbartonshire constituency, from 1950 to 1983.
Boundaries
| Council areas grouped by the Fifth Periodical Review |
 |
| East Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire This article is about the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. See also East Dunbartonshire .East Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders onto the north-west of the City of Glasgow. It contains many of the suburbs of Glasgow as well as containing many of... and North Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire... |
Current
The existing constituency was created as a result of the Fifth Periodical Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, as one of two covering the East Dunbartonshire council area and one of five covering the East Dunbartonshire council area and the North Lanarkshire council area.The East Dunbartonshire constituency is entirely within the East Dunbartonshire council area, and the rest of the council area is covered by the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency, which also covers part of the North Lanarkshire council area. The rest of the North Lanarkshire area is covered by the Airdrie and Shotts
Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)
Airdrie and Shotts is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in central Scotland within the North Lanarkshire council area. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
, Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, and Motherwell and Wishaw
Motherwell and Wishaw (UK Parliament constituency)
Motherwell and Wishaw is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1974, mostly from Motherwell...
constituencies.
The East Dunbartonshire constituency replaced most of the Strathkelvin and Bearsden
Strathkelvin and Bearsden (UK Parliament constituency)
Strathkelvin and Bearsden was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983...
constituency and some of the Clydebank and Milngavie
Clydebank and Milngavie (UK Parliament constituency)
Clydebank and Milngavie was a county constituency in Scotland. It returned on Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005, when it was redistributed to West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire as part of a major reorganisation of...
constituency and some of the Coatbridge and Chryston
Coatbridge and Chryston (UK Parliament constituency)
Coatbridge and Chryston was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned one Member of Parliament from 1997 until 2005.It was then replaced by the Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill constituency....
constituency.
The Fifth Periodical Review did not affect the boundaries of Scottish Parliament constituencies, which retain the boundaries of Westminster constituencies prior to implementation of the results of the review.
Historic
The historic constituency was created under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949
The House of Commons Act 1949 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that provided for the periodic review of the number and boundaries of parliamentary constituencies....
, and first used in the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
.
As created in 1950, the constituency was one of two covering the county of Dunbarton. The other was West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and covers the same area as the county of West Dunbartonshire.The current constituency was first used in...
. The two new constituencies replaced the earlier constituencies of Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Dunbartonshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950...
and Dumbarton Burghs.
East Dunbartonshire covered the Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch, and New Kilpatrick districts of the county
Counties of Scotland
The counties of Scotland were the principal local government divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them. They are often referred to as historic counties....
and the burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
s of Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
, Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch is a town and former burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal, about eight miles northeast of central Glasgow...
, and Milngavie
Milngavie
Milngavie , is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is on the Allander Water, at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow, and about from Glasgow city centre. It neighbours Bearsden....
.
For the 1951 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
the constituency boundaries were adjusted to take account of a change to the boundaries of the burgh of Clydebank.
The results of the First Periodical Review of the Boundary Commission were implemented for the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, but there was no change to the boundaries of East Dunbartonshire, and the boundaries of 1951 and 1955 were used also in the general election
United Kingdom general elections
This is a list of United Kingdom general elections since the first in 1802. The members of the 1801–1802 Parliament had been elected to the former Parliament of Great Britain and Parliament of Ireland, before being co-opted to serve in the first Parliament of the United Kingdom, so that Parliament...
s of 1959
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, 1964
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, 1966
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
and 1970
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
.
The results of the Second Periodical Review were implemented for the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
. The review took account of population growth in the county of Dunbarton, caused by overspill from the city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
into the new town of Cumbernauld and elsewhere, and East Dunbartonshire became one of three constituencies covering the county. East Dunbartonshire now covered the Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld districts of the county and the burghs of Bearsden
Bearsden
Bearsden ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the City Centre, and is effectively a suburb, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name...
, Cumbernauld, and Kirkintilloch, but it lost Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
and Milngavie
Milngavie
Milngavie , is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is on the Allander Water, at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow, and about from Glasgow city centre. It neighbours Bearsden....
to the new constituency of Central Dunbartonshire
Central Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Central Dunbartonshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1974 to 1983...
. These boundaries were used also for the general elections of October 1974
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
and 1979
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
.
In 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
, Scottish counties were abolished in favour of regions and districts
Regions and districts of Scotland
The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Act 1994....
and islands council areas
Islands council areas of Scotland
Between 1975 and 1996 there were three islands council areas of Scotland:* Orkney* Shetland* Western IslesThe islands council areas were the only unitary councils created under the Local Government Act 1973, which came into force in 1975...
, and the county of Dunbarton was divided between several districts of the new region of Strathclyde. The Third Periodical Review took account of new local government boundaries, and the results were implemented for the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
.
MPs 1950–1983
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 United Kingdom general election, 1950 The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five... |
David Kirkwood | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1951 United Kingdom general election, 1951 The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats... |
Cyril Bence Cyril Bence Cyril Raymond Bence was a British toolmaker, part-time lecturer and politician.-Earlier career:Bence, a Welshman, was born near Bristol, the son of a farmer and meat purveyor. He went to school in Newport, Monmouthshire but left school when he was 14... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1970 United Kingdom general election, 1970 The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their... |
Hugh McCartney Hugh McCartney Hugh McCartney was a Scottish Labour politician. Born in Glasgow, McCartney studied at John Street senior secondary school and at the Royal Technical College in Glasgow. He joined the Independent Labour Party's Guild of Youth at the age of 14 and began a textile apprenticeship. He joined the... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| Feb 1974 United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... |
Barry Henderson Barry Henderson James Stewart Barry Henderson, usually known as Barry Henderson was a British Conservative Party politician who served in the House of Commons for two periods, February to October 1974 and 1979 to 1987, both for Scottish constituencies.Henderson was educated at Stowe... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| Oct 1974 United Kingdom general election, October 1974 The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of... |
Margaret Bain Margaret Ewing Margaret Anne Ewing was a Scottish National Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament... |
SNP Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.... |
|
| 1979 United Kingdom general election, 1979 The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats... |
Norman Hogg | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1983 United Kingdom general election, 1983 The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945... |
constituency abolished | ||
MPs since 2005
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
constituency recreated | ||
| 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
Jo Swinson Jo Swinson Jo Swinson is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician and Member of Parliament for East Dunbartonshire constituency, a suburban and semi-rural area to the north of Glasgow in Scotland, and is the Deputy Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats... |
Liberal Democrat | |
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
The constituency of 1950 to 1983 has an unusual electoral history, in that in two consecutive general elections it was gained by the party in third place at the previous election. In October 1974 the SNP leapfrogged Labour to defeat the Tories, and in 1979 Labour leapfrogged the Tories to beat the SNP. Furthermore, the constituency went the opposite way to the nation in two consecutive changes of government. In February 1974, the Tories gained it from Labour, though losing nationally, while in 1979 Labour regained the seat from the SNP, though losing nationally. Apart from Ynys Mon in Wales, East Dunbartonshire is the only seat to have been be represented by the three main parties and the nationalists.The October 1974 result was also particularly unusual since it produced both the smallest majority in the UK at that election, and the closest three-way result since 1945.