Coatbridge and Bellshill is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.
It was created for the 2024 general election, covering most of the old Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency. A small area in the eastern side of Coatbridge lies within the Airdrie and Shotts constituency. Traditionally, the area served by the seat and its predecessors was the safest Labour area in Scotland.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to boundary changes which resulted in the loss of Chryston. As a consequence, it was renamed Coatbridge and Bellshill, to be first contested at the 2024 general election.[1]
The constituency covers the west of the North Lanarkshire council area, and is predominantly urban. Coatbridge lies relatively central within the constituency, with the urban/rural mix to the north encompassing the villages of Glenboig, Moodiesburn and Gartcosh. Bellshill lies within the southern most part of the constituency.
Electoral Calculus characterises the seat as 'Traditionalist', with left-wing economic views but more liberal social attitudes. The average age in the constituency is 47.6, which puts it just below the UK and Scottish averages. Employment in the constituency is at 64%, putting it broadly in line with the rest of Scotland and above the overall UK average of 58%. Home ownership in the constituency is below both the Scottish and UK averages, at 59%. Additionally, Electoral Calculus puts the ethnic demography of the constituency as 98% white, above both Scottish and UK averages.[2]
The constituency consistently returned Labour MPs from 1935[3] until 2015 when the Scottish National Party gained the seat from Scottish Labour on an unprecedented 36% swing, unseating the incumbent Tom Clarke MP who had represented the constituency since the 1982 Coatbridge and Airdrie by-election. Since 2015, the seat has changed hands several times. Once back to Labour in 2017, with Hugh Gaffney unseating the Scottish National Party incumbent Phil Boswell. The seat then swung back to the SNP in 2019, with Steven Bonnar gaining the seat from Scottish Labour incumbent Hugh Gaffney. In 2024, the seat again swung back to Scottish Labour with Frank McNally gaining the seat from the SNP incumbent Steven Bonnar.
The constituency from 2005 to 2024 was formed by the following electoral divisions:
After the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will lose Chryston to Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch.
Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Coatbridge and Bellshill
Coatbridge and Chryston - 1997-2005
Coatbridge and Airdrie - 1950-1983
55°53′06″N 4°03′36″W / 55.885°N 4.060°W / 55.885; -4.060