Glasgow Southside
Burghconstituency for theScottish Parliament
Glasgow Southside shown within theGlasgow electoral region and the region shown withinScotland
Electorate	65,486 (2022)[1]
Current constituency
Created	2011
Party	Scottish National Party
MSP	Nicola Sturgeon
Council area	Glasgow City

Glasgow Southside is aburgh constituency of theScottish Parliament, being one of eight constituencies within theGlasgow Citycouncil area.^[2] It elects oneMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by theplurality (first past the post) method of election. Under theadditional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, it is also one of eight constituencies in theGlasgow electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form ofproportional representation for the region as a whole.^[3] The seat is currently held byNicola Sturgeon who wasFirst Minister of Scotland from 2014 to 2023, who has held it for theScottish National Party since the seat was created for2011 Scottish Parliament election.

The other seven constituencies of the Glasgow region areGlasgow Anniesland,Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston,Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok,Glasgow Central,Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn,Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill, andRutherglen and Cambuslang.^[3] The region covers most of theGlasgow City council area, and a north-western portion of theSouth Lanarkshire council area.^[4]

Prior to thesecond periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, the other eight constituencies of the Glasgow region wereGlasgow Anniesland,Glasgow Cathcart,Glasgow Kelvin,Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn,Glasgow Pollok,Glasgow Provan,Glasgow Shettleston, andRutherglen. The region covered the Glasgow City council area and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area.

Map of boundaries (2011-2026)

The constituency was created following thefirst periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries, and was first contested at the2011 Scottish Parliament election. Theelectoral wards used to define the seat were:^[5]

• In full:Southside Central,Pollokshields
• In part:Govan (shared withPollok)

At thesecond periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries changes were recommended byBoundaries Scotland, with the new boundaries set to be used for the2026 Scottish Parliament election. Theelectoral wards used to define the Glasgow Southside at this review were:^[2]

• Pollokshields (entire ward)
• Langside (entire ward)
• Southside Central (shared with Glasgow Central)

The former First Minister,Nicola Sturgeon, has represented the constituency since its creation in 2011 election. She was previously an MSP for theGlasgow regional list from 1999 to 2007, andGlasgow Govan between 2007 and 2011 until the abolition of that constituency.

The constituency has attracted a high amount of media interest over the years due to its status as the constituency of the First Minister. A profile inThe Scotsman described it as, "one of Scotland’s most diverse constituencies. It takes in the gated mansions of Pollokshields as well as Ibrox and Govan, which once teemed with shipyard workers. It takes in Strathbungo, with its Greek Thomson terraces as well as the Gorbals, a former melting pot of Irish, Italian and Jewish immigration."^[6]

Problems with slum landlords, vermin and refuse collections have been highlighted as particular issues in the area.^[7] During the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow City Council were accused of dispatching cleaners to the constituency to spruce it up prior to press events in the area.^[8]

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Glasgow Southside^[9][10][11]

Party		Candidate	Constituency			Regional
			Votes	%	±%	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Nicola Sturgeon[a]	19,735	60.2	1.2	13,661	41.6	3.7
	Labour Co-op	Anas Sarwar[b][c]	10,279	31.3	8.4	7,729	23.5	3.6
	Green					6,063	18.4	4.8
	Conservative	Kyle Thornton	1,790	5.5	6.9	2,901	8.8	2.8
	Alba					636	1.9	New
	Liberal Democrats	Carole Ford	504	1.5	1.8	575	1.7	0.3
	Independent Green Voice					295	0.9	New
	All for Unity					223	0.7	New
	Scottish Family					161	0.5	New
	No label	Greg Energy Adviser	147	0.4	New
	Liberal	Derek Jackson	102	0.3	New
	Freedom Alliance (UK)	Carol Dobson	204	0.6	New	99	0.3	New
	TUSC					95	0.3	New
	Women's Equality					88	0.3	0.6
	Communist					81	0.3	New
	Scottish Libertarian					52	0.2	New
	Abolish the Scottish Parliament					51	0.2	New
	UKIP					48	0.2	1.5
	Independent	Jayda Fransen	46	0.1	New
	SDP					32	0.1	New
	Reform					31	0.1	New
	Independent	Craig Ross				19	0.1	New
	Reclaim					16	0.1	New
	Renew					10	0.0	New
	Independent	Daniel Donaldson				10	0.0	New
Majority			9,456	28.9	9.6
Valid Votes			32,807			32,876
Invalid Votes			220			113
Turnout			33,027	59.78	11.5	32,989	59.71	11.3
	SNPhold		Swing		4.8
Notes ^Incumbent member for this constituency ^Sarwar stood on a joint ticket on behalf ofScottish Labour and theScottish Co-operative Party. The regional list vote is for Scottish Labour only. ^Incumbent member on theparty list, or for another constituency

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Glasgow Southside^[12][9]

Party		Candidate	Constituency			Regional
			Votes	%	±%	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Nicola Sturgeon[a]	15,287	61.4	7.0	11,393	45.3	3.2
	Labour	Fariha Thomas	5,694	22.9	12.3	5,002	19.9	9.4
	Green					3,444	13.7	5.8
	Conservative	Graham Hutchison	3,100	12.4	4.7	2,935	11.7	5.0
	Liberal Democrats	Kevin Lewsey	822	3.3	0.6	516	2.1	0.1
	UKIP					420	1.7	1.2
	RISE					387	1.5	New
	Solidarity					335	1.3	New
	Women's Equality					209	0.8	New
	BUP					190	0.8	New
	Animal Welfare					172	0.7	New
	Scottish Christian					136	0.5	0.0
	Independent	Andrew McCullagh				15	0.1	New
Majority			9,593	38.5	19.3
Valid Votes			24,903			25,154
Invalid Votes			279			68
Turnout			25,182	48.3	4.7	25,222	48.4	4.8
	SNPhold		Swing		9.7
Notes ^Incumbent member for this constituency

• Politics of Glasgow
• Glasgow South (UK Parliament constituency)

• "Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers"(PDF). Boundaries Scotland. April 2025. Retrieved26 November 2025.

• "Glasgow Southside constituency map (2026 boundaries)"(PDF).Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved15 December 2025.
• "Glasgow Southside constituency map (2011 boundaries)"(PDF).Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved7 July 2021.

• Govan
• Politics of Glasgow
• Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions from 2011
• Nicola Sturgeon
• Constituencies of the Scottish Parliament
• 2011 establishments in Scotland
• Constituencies established in 2011
• Gorbals
• Pollokshields
• Govanhill and Crosshill

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from January 2018
• Use British English from January 2018
• All Wikipedia articles written in British English
• Pages using the Kartographer extension