Glasgow Central was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 2024. A Glasgow Central constituency existed from 1885 until its abolition in 1997. Prior to the 2005 general election, boundary changes led to a new constituency named Glasgow Central being introduced. The constituency was abolished again prior to the 2024 general election.[2] Prior to its abolition, the seat was held by Alison Thewliss of the Scottish National Party (SNP). The first iteration of this constituency was the seat of the former Conservative Prime Minister Bonar Law, who was the shortest-serving UK Prime Minister of the twentieth century.
1885–1918: The Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Municipal Wards.[3]
1918–1950: "That portion of the city which is bounded by a line commencing at a point at the intersection of the centre lines of Parliamentary Road and Castle Street, thence southward along the centre line of Castle Street to the centre line of Alexandra Parade, thence eastward along the centre line of Alexandra Parade to the centre line of Firpark Street, thence southward along the centre line of Firpark Street and Ark Lane to the centre line of Duke Street, thence westward along the centre line of Duke Street to the centre line of Sydney Street, thence southward along the centre line of Sydney Street to the centre line of Gallowgate, thence westward along the centre line of Gallowgate to the centre line of Saltmarket, thence southward along the centre line of Saltmarket and Albert Bridge to the centre line of the River Clyde, thence westward along the centre line of the River Clyde to a point in line with the centre line of McAlpine Street, thence northward along the centre line of McAlpine Street, Pitt Street and Scott Street to the centre line of New City Road, thence south-eastward along the centre line of New City Road and Cowcaddens to the centre line of Buchanan Street, thence southward along the centre line of Buchanan Street to the centre line of Parliamentary Road, thence north-eastward along the centre line of Parliamentary Road to the point of commencement."
1950–1975: The Exchange and Townhead wards of the county of the city of Glasgow.[4]
1955–1974: The Cowcaddens and Townhead wards of the county of the city of Glasgow, and part of Exchange ward.[5]
1974–1983: The County of the City of Glasgow wards of Calton, Dalmarnock, Exchange, and Townhead.
1983–1997: The City of Glasgow District electoral divisions of Central/Calton, Kingston/Hutchesontown, and Queen's Park/Crosshill.
2005–2024: The Glasgow City wards of Anderston, Bridgeton/Dalmarnock, Calton, Govanhill, Hutchesontown, Kelvingrove, Kingston, Merchant City, Pollokshields East, Strathbungo, and Toryglen.
From 2005, Glasgow Central was one of seven constituencies covering the Glasgow City council area, all entirely within the council area. Prior to the 2005 general election, the city area was covered by ten constituencies, of which two straddled boundaries with other council areas.
The Central constituency, as defined in 2005, included parts of the former Glasgow Govan, Glasgow Kelvin, Glasgow Shettleston, Glasgow Pollok and Glasgow Rutherglen constituencies.[6] Scottish Parliament constituencies for the area are predominantly Glasgow Southside on the South of the river and Glasgow Kelvin on the North of the river, with Calton, Bridgeton and Dalmarnock areas of Glasgow Shettleston as well as a single polling place each from Glasgow Cathcart and Glasgow Provan.
The Central constituency sat across the River Clyde, and includes the areas of Kelvingrove, Anderston, Merchant City, Calton, Pollokshields, Gorbals and Govanhill.
This former constituency took in Glasgow city centre to the north, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the main railway stations, Glasgow Cathedral and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. It was home to both Strathclyde and Caledonian Universities, as well as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and still often referred to locally as RSAMD) and the Glasgow School of Art. It was home to a significant number of students attending the University of Glasgow, which is just over the boundary in Glasgow North. The large student population was an important factor in elections, and the presence of four degree-awarding institutions as well as a significant portion of the student body of a fifth has led to claims that it was the best-educated constituency in the United Kingdom. The Merchant City was also here, yuppie housing built out of the disused cotton and tobacco warehouses. This area is a symbol of the rebirth of the city.
At the heart of this former constituency is the River Clyde, marking the boundaries of Glasgow Central from the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Oatlands in the east of the constituency, to Glasgow Science Centre and Glasgow's Riverside Museum to the west. There are some deprived areas within the former seat itself it is mostly an affluent area.[7]
Glasgow Central was estimated to have voted to Remain in the European Union by 66.6% in the 2016 referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.[8]
Flora Scarabello was suspended by the Scottish Conservatives after alleged Islamophobia. Because nominations had closed at the time of her suspension, she still appeared on the ballot paper as the Conservative candidate.[13]
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