Glasgow Kelvin
Burgh constituency for the Scottish Parliament
Glasgow Kelvin shown within the Glasgow electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Population	93,212 (2019)[1]
Current constituency
Created	1999
Party	Scottish National Party
MSP	Kaukab Stewart
Council area	Glasgow City

Glasgow Kelvin (Gaelic: Glaschu Ceilbhinn) is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood), being one of eight constituencies within the Glasgow City council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. It is also one of nine constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

The seat has been held by Kaukab Stewart of the Scottish National Party since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Electoral region[edit]

The other eight constituencies of the Glasgow region are: Glasgow Anniesland, Glasgow Cathcart, Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Glasgow Pollok, Glasgow Provan, Glasgow Shettleston, Glasgow Southside and Rutherglen.

The region covers the Glasgow City council area and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area.

Constituency boundaries[edit]

Map of boundaries from 2011

The original Glasgow Kelvin constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, with the name and boundaries of an existing Westminster constituency. In 2005, however, Scottish Westminster (House of Commons) constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies.

Boundary review[edit]

Following its First Periodic review into Scottish Parliament constituencies, a newly shaped Kelvin was formed in time for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election. The Glasgow City Council electoral wards used in the creation of the new Glasgow Kelvin seat are:

• In full: Anderston/City, Hillhead
• In part: Canal, Partick West

Constituency profile[edit]

Glasgow city centre is in this constituency, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the cathedral, and the SEC Centre. All three of Glasgow's universities are here as well, making it reputedly the most educated constituency in Scotland; the large student population is an important factor in elections. It is also home to the Merchant City: described as 'yuppie housing', it was built out of the disused cotton and tobacco warehouses. This area is a symbol of the rebirth of the city, and Kelvin is arguably the most affluent constituency in Glasgow, although it also includes more deprived areas.^[2]

History[edit]

The predecessor to the Westminster constituency seat, Glasgow Hillhead, was the last Conservative seat in the city until Roy Jenkins won it for the Social Democratic Party at a by-election in 1982. He held it in 1983 general election but it was taken by Labour's George Galloway in 1987.

Member of the Scottish Parliament[edit]

Election results[edit]

Elections in the 2020s[edit]

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Glasgow Kelvin^[3][4]

Party		Candidate	Constituency			Regional
			Votes	%	±%	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Kaukab Stewart	14,535	40.3	1.8	14,227	39.4	2.8
	Scottish Green	Patrick Harvie[a]	9,077	25.2	0.9	7,568	21.0	0.8
	Labour	Pam Duncan-Glancy[b]	8,605	23.9	2.9	7,279	20.2	1.3
	Conservative	Grahame Cannell	2,850	7.9	3.9	3,910	10.8	2.2
	Liberal Democrats	David McKenzie	977	2.7	1.0	1,049	2.9	0.4
	Alba					613	1.7	New
	Independent Green Voice					256	0.7	New
	All for Unity					254	0.7	New
	Scottish Family					179	0.5	New
	Women's Equality					145	0.4	1.6
	Freedom Alliance (UK)					136	0.4	New
	Communist					103	0.3	New
	Reform UK					78	0.2	New
	TUSC					77	0.2	New
	Libertarian					57	0.2	New
	Abolish the Scottish Parliament					56	0.2	New
	Independent	Craig Ross				26	0.1	New
	Reclaim					25	0.1	New
	UKIP					25	0.1	1.2
	SDP					21	0.1	New
	Independent	Daniel Donaldson				12	0.03	New
	Renew					8	0.02	New
Majority			5,458	15.1	0.9
Valid Votes			36,044			36,104
Invalid Votes			185			96
Turnout			36,229	54.54	8.6	36,200	54.50	8.6
	SNP hold		Swing		0.5
Notes ^ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency ^ Elected on the party list

Elections in the 2010s[edit]

In 2016 the Scottish Greens overtook Scottish Labour to take second place in the Glasgow Kelvin constituency on the constituency element of the vote. This was their best ever first past the post election result, with party co-convenor Patrick Harvie finishing behind the SNP's Sandra White by 14.2% of the vote.

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Glasgow Kelvin^[5][6][7]

Party		Candidate	Constituency			Regional
			Votes	%	±%	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Sandra White[a]	10,964	38.5	4.8	10,416	36.6	0.6
	Scottish Green	Patrick Harvie[b]	6,916	24.3	New	5,760	20.2	4.8
	Labour	Michael Shanks	5,968	21.0	18.8	5,373	18.9	8.1
	Conservative	Sheila Mechan	3,346	11.8	4.2	3,701	13.0	6.0
	Liberal Democrats	Carole Ford	1,050	3.7	4.0	945	3.3	1.6
	Independent	Tom Muirhead	198	0.7	1.0
	Women's Equality					573	2.0	New
	RISE					506	1.8	New
	UKIP					367	1.3	1.0
	Solidarity					234	0.8	New
	Animal Welfare					231	0.8	New
	A Better Britain – Unionist Party					160	0.6	New
	Scottish Christian					158	0.6	0.1
	Independent	Andrew McCullagh				40	0.1	New
Majority			4,048	14.2	10.7
Valid Votes			28,442			28,464
Invalid Votes			113			87
Turnout			28,555	45.9	5.8	28,551	45.9	5.8
	SNP hold		Swing		14.6
Notes ^ Incumbent member for this constituency ^ Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

Elections in the 2000s[edit]

Elections in the 1990s[edit]

See also[edit]

• Politics of Glasgow

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

• "Glasgow Kelvin constituency map" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 7 July 2021.