Rutherglen (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Rutherglen is a constituency
of the Scottish Parliament
(Holyrood
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, it is one of nine constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation
for the region as a whole.
Originally called Glasgow Rutherglen
, in 2011 the boundaries were redrawn and the new constituency renamed simply Rutherglen.
The region covers the Glasgow City council area and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area
.
in Scotland
, and 500 years older than the royal burgh of Glasgow
. It was traditionally a Conservative seat, and has always striven to maintain some autonomy since it was absorbed by Glasgow in the 1970s. However, the changes in the 1970s led the Westminster constituency to be mostly made up of vast council estates south-east of the Glasgow city centre and it became a Labour
safe seat. At its northern border it blends into Glasgow's suburbs and the vast Castlemilk housing scheme. The seat includes not only Rutherglen itself but also the town of Cambuslang
, and the housing scheme at Fernhill
and Whitlawburn. Steel
and pottery
have been major industries in the past, but both have been in decline over the last 30 years. Although now mostly outside Glasgow local government area, the constituency is still seen as a safe Labour seat. There were no surprises in the 1999 elections, which saw Janis Hughes
win the seat with a majority of 25%.
As Rutherglen
Liberal Democrats and the Independent both gained under 5% of the poll and thus lost their deposit
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(Holyrood
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, it is one of nine constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
for the region as a whole.
Originally called Glasgow Rutherglen
Glasgow Rutherglen (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Rutherglen was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election....
, in 2011 the boundaries were redrawn and the new constituency renamed simply Rutherglen.
Electoral region
- See also Glasgow Scottish Parliament region
The region covers the Glasgow City council area and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area
South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
.
Constituency boundaries and council areas
The newly redrawn seat of Rutherglen consists of the following electoral wards;- In full: RutherglenRutherglenRutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...
South; Rutherglen Central and North; CambuslangCambuslangCambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...
West; Cambuslang East; - In part; Blantyre
Characteristics
The town of Rutherglen is the oldest royal burghRoyal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and 500 years older than the royal burgh 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...
. It was traditionally a Conservative seat, and has always striven to maintain some autonomy since it was absorbed by Glasgow in the 1970s. However, the changes in the 1970s led the Westminster constituency to be mostly made up of vast council estates south-east of the Glasgow city centre and it became a Labour
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
safe seat. At its northern border it blends into Glasgow's suburbs and the vast Castlemilk housing scheme. The seat includes not only Rutherglen itself but also the town of Cambuslang
Cambuslang
Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...
, and the housing scheme at Fernhill
Fernhill
Fernhill is a residential district in the Scottish town of Rutherglen in Lanarkshire. It is situated south of the River Clyde. Built largely in the 1950s and 60s as a slum clearance area for Rutherglen, Fernhill could be considered as a smaller equivalent to the infamous Castlemilk estate which...
and Whitlawburn. Steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
and pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
have been major industries in the past, but both have been in decline over the last 30 years. Although now mostly outside Glasgow local government area, the constituency is still seen as a safe Labour seat. There were no surprises in the 1999 elections, which saw Janis Hughes
Janis Hughes
Janis Hughes is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Rutherglen constituency from 1999 to 2007....
win the seat with a majority of 25%.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
As Glasgow RutherglenGlasgow Rutherglen (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Rutherglen was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election....
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Scottish Parliament election, 1999 The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members... |
Janis Hughes Janis Hughes Janis Hughes is a Scottish Labour politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Rutherglen constituency from 1999 to 2007.... |
Labour Scottish Labour Party The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland.... |
|
| 2003 Scottish Parliament election, 2003 The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive... |
|||
| 2007 Scottish Parliament election, 2007 The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999... |
James Kelly James Kelly (Scottish politician) James Kelly is a Scottish Labour Co-operative politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Rutherglen constituency. He was elected for the first time in the 2007 Scottish Election.... |
Labour Scottish Labour Party The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland.... |
|
As Rutherglen
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Scottish Parliament election, 2011 The 2011 Scottish Parliament general election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system is used to... |
James Kelly James Kelly (Scottish politician) James Kelly is a Scottish Labour Co-operative politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Rutherglen constituency. He was elected for the first time in the 2007 Scottish Election.... |
Labour Scottish Labour Party The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland.... |
|
Election results
Liberal Democrats and the Independent both gained under 5% of the poll and thus lost their deposit
See also
- Politics of GlasgowPolitics of GlasgowPolitics in Glasgow, Scotland, is evident in the deliberations and decisions of the city council of Glasgow , in elections to the council, and in elections to the Scottish Parliament and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom .In the European Parliament, the city area is...