Glasgow East
Burgh constituency for theHouse of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Location within Scotland
Subdivisions of Scotland	Glasgow City
Major settlements	Baillieston,Carmyle,Garrowhill,Shettleston
Current constituency
Created	2005
Member of Parliament	John Grady (Labour)
Created from	Glasgow Baillieston Glasgow Shettleston

Glasgow East is aconstituency of theHouse of Commons of the UK Parliament, located in the city ofGlasgow,Scotland. It elects oneMember of Parliament at least once every five years using thefirst-past-the-post system of voting. It is currently represented by John Grady of theLabour Party who has been the MP since 2024.

Prior to the2005 general election, the city area was covered by ten constituencies, of which two straddled boundaries with other council areas. The Glasgow East constituency includes the area of the formerGlasgow Baillieston constituency and parts of the formerGlasgow Shettleston constituency.^[1]Scottish Parliament constituencies retain the names and boundaries of the older Westminster constituencies.

It was once one of thesafest seats for theLabour Party, the areas included in the constituency having returned solely Labour MPs since the 1930s. Glasgow Baillieston had always been represented by MPs from theLabour Party, as was the predecessorGlasgow Provan constituency from its creation in1955. Glasgow Shettleston was won by the Labour Party at every general election from1950 onwards (in1945 it was won by theIndependent Labour Party).

However, it achieved national prominence when aby-election in 2008 saw theScottish National Party overturn a majority of over 13,000 votes to gain the seat (see below). Since then, it has been tightly fought by Labour and the SNP.

At the2010 general election, the seat was regained for Labour byMargaret Curran fromJohn Mason of the SNP with a large majority of more than 11,000 votes.

During the2015 general election there was a nationwide surge of support for the SNP, as pro-independence voters rallied to support the party in unprecedented numbers. After votes were countedThe Guardian reported: "The SNP swept aside once-unassailable majorities for Labour with swings as high as 35%, as voters threw outJim Murphy, the Scottish Labour leader, its former deputy leader,Anas Sarwar, andMargaret Curran, the shadow Scottish secretary [in Glasgow East]."^[2]

At the2016 EU referendum, theHouse of Commons Library estimates that 53% of local voters opted for Britain to Remain a member of the EU, while 47% voted to leave.^[3]

The2017 general election result in the constituency was that election's tenth-closest result, withDavid Linden of the SNP holding the seat by a margin of 75 votes. Amid a nationwide backlash againstNicola Sturgeon's plans for a second independence referendum,^[4] the SNP's share of the vote dropped by 18%, the Conservative vote nearly trebled and Labour picked up votes from left-wing voters excited byJeremy Corbyn and the British Labour Party's socialist platform.^[5]

In 2019, Linden was re-elected with an increased majority of 5,566 votes, making the seat a comfortable SNP majority.^[6] However, at the2024 general election, the SNP's vote slumped once again and Linden was defeated by Labour'sJohn Grady with a majority of 3,784 on a notional swing of 13%.

On 28 June 2008, the sitting MP David Marshall announced he would step down because of a stress-related illness; he was appointedSteward of the Manor of Northstead on 30 June 2008, thus effectivelyresigning from the House of Commons.^[7] Although the seat represented Labour's third-largest majority in Scotland, it faced a strong challenge from the Scottish National Party, hot on the heels of Labour's disastrous performance at the2008 Henley by-election.^[8] Nominations for candidates closed at 4pm on 9 July, and the election took place on 24 July.^[9]

On 25 July 2008, and after a recount, the SNP candidateJohn Mason won the seat with a narrow majority of 365 votes over the Labour Party candidate,Margaret Curran.^[10]

Map of boundaries 2005–2024

Under theFifth Review of UK Parliament constituencies which came into effect for the2005 general election, the boundaries were defined in accordance with the ward structure in place on 30 November 2004 as containing the Glasgow City Council wards of Parkhead, Queenslie, Greenfield, Barlanark, Shettleston, Tollcross Park, Braidfauld, Mount Vernon, Baillieston, Garrowhill, Garthamlock and Easterhouse. Further to reviews of local government ward boundaries which came into effect in 2007 and 2017, but did not affect the parliamentary boundaries, the constituency comprised the City of Glasgow Council wards or part wards of:Calton (minority),East Centre (majority),Shettleston,Baillieston andNorth East (majority).

Map of boundaries from 2024

Further to the2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the2024 general election the constituency boundaries were significantly re-drawn, to take in a large part of the abolished constituency ofGlasgow Central, including the districts ofMerchant City,Calton,Bridgeton andDalmarnock, as well as areas to the south of theRiver Clyde such asGorbals,Govanhill andHutchesontown. To compensate, areas to the north of the main east-west railway, including the districts ofQueenslie,Greenfield,Barlanark,Garthamlock andEasterhouse were transferred toGlasgow North East.

The constituency currently consists of the following wards or part wards of the City of Glasgow:

• The bulk ofSouthside Central ward - excluding a small area to the north ofQueen's Park;
• the bulk ofCalton ward - except a small strip between the main east-west railway and Duke Street;
• a small part ofAnderston/City/Yorkhill ward comprising the Merchant City area;
• the whole ofShettleston ward ; and
• the bulk ofBaillieston ward - except the area between the main east-west railway and the M8 (Queenslie).^[11][12][13]

Glasgow East is one of six constituencies covering theGlasgow City Council area taking in the areas of:Baillieston,Carmyle,Parkhead,Shettleston andTollcross. It formerly includedEasterhouse andGartloch. Further to the 2023 boundary review, it also includes the areas of:Calton,Bridgeton,Dalmarnock,Gorbals,Govanhill andHutchesontown.

The constituency is one of the most deprived constituencies in the UK. In 2008, nearly 40% of adults smoke (UK average at the time was 19.2%), and on average there were 25 drug-related deaths a year.^[14] Average male life expectancy is 68, five years less than the Scottish average, while in theShettleston area it is 63.^[15] A 2008World Health Organization report gave the average male life expectancy inCalton as 54, which is lower than it was before theSecond World War.^[16]

• Politics of Glasgow

^♯ This reference gives all recent Glasgow City Westminster election results. You select the year and then the constituency to view the result.

• Scottish Election Results 1997 – present
• Glasgow East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2005 – May 2024) atMapIt UK
• Glasgow East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) atMapIt UK

55°51′20″N4°08′49″W / 55.85556°N 4.14694°W /55.85556; -4.14694

• Westminster Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 2005
• Politics of Glasgow
• Parkhead
• Baillieston

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