Coatbridge and Bellshill (UK Parliament constituency)

Coatbridge and Bellshill
Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Location within Scotland
Subdivisions of ScotlandNorth Lanarkshire
Major settlementsBellshill, Coatbridge, Moodiesburn, Glenboig, Gartcosh
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentFrank McNally (Labour)
Created fromCoatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Hamilton North & Bellshill

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]

Boundaries

Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

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.

Constituency profile

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.

Members of Parliament

Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill

Election Member[4] Party
2005 Tom Clarke Labour
2015 Phil Boswell Scottish National Party
2017 Hugh Gaffney Labour
2019 Steven Bonnar Scottish National Party

Coatbridge and Bellshill

Election Member[5] Party
2024 Frank McNally Labour

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

2024 general election: Coatbridge and Bellshill [6] [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank McNally 19,291 49.8 +13.5
SNP Steven Bonnar 12,947 33.4 −13.9
Reform UK Fionna McRae 2,601 6.7 N/A
Conservative Christina Sandhu 1,382 3.6 −8.3
Scottish Green Patrick McAleer 1,229 3.2 +1.7
Liberal Democrats Emma Farthing 671 1.7 −1.3
Scottish Family Leo Lanahan 429 1.1 N/A
Communist Drew Gilchrist 181 0.5 N/A
Majority 6,344 16.4 N/A
Turnout 38,731 53.3 −10.0
Registered electors 72,667
Labour gain from SNP Swing +13.7

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election: Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Steven Bonnar 22,680 47.0 +7.9
Labour Hugh Gaffney 17,056 35.4 −7.2
Conservative Nathan Wilson 6,113 12.7 −3.5
Liberal Democrats David Stevens 1,564 3.2 +1.2
Scottish Green Patrick McAleer 808 1.7 New
Majority 5,624 11.6 N/A
Turnout 48,221 66.3 +3.0
SNP gain from Labour Swing +7.6
2017 general election: Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hugh Gaffney 19,193 42.6 +8.7
SNP Phil Boswell 17,607 39.1 −17.5
Conservative Robyn Halbert 7,318 16.2 +9.9
Liberal Democrats David Bennie 922 2.0 +0.9
Majority 1,586 3.5 N/A
Turnout 45,040 63.3 −5.3
Labour gain from SNP Swing +13.1
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
2015 general election: Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Phil Boswell 28,696 56.6 +39.7
Labour Tom Clarke 17,195 33.9 −32.7
Conservative Mhairi Fraser 3,209 6.3 −1.8
UKIP Scott Cairns 1,049 2.1 New
Liberal Democrats Robert Simpson 549 1.1 −7.4
Majority 11,501 22.7 N/A
Turnout 50,698 68.6 +9.2
SNP gain from Labour Swing +36.3
2010 general election: Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Clarke 27,728 66.6 +2.1
SNP Frances M. McGlinchey 7,014 16.9 +3.3
Liberal Democrats Kenneth C. Elder 3,519 8.5 −3.5
Conservative Fiona Houston 3,374 8.1 +0.9
Majority 20,714 49.7 −1.2
Turnout 41,635 59.4 +2.5
Labour hold Swing −0.6

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Clarke 24,725[a] 64.5 −4.8
SNP Duncan Ross 5,206 13.6 −1.2
Liberal Democrats Rodney Ackland 4,605 12.0 +6.4
Conservative Lindsay S. Paterson 2,775 7.2 +2.2
Scottish Socialist Joan Kinloch 1,033 2.7 −2.4
Majority 19,519 50.9 −3.6
Turnout 38,344 56.9 −3.0
Labour win (new seat)

Notes

  1. ^ This 19,519 majority was the largest numerical majority for any Westminster MP during the 2005-2010 parliament.

Previous constituencies

Coatbridge and Chryston - 1997-2005

Monklands West - 1983-1997

Coatbridge and Airdrie - 1950-1983

Coatbridge - 1918-1950

References

  1. ^ Boundary Commission Scotland 2023 Review Report
  2. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/calcwork23.py?seat=Coatbridge+and+Bellshill
  3. ^ Craig, F.W.S., ed. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949. Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. p. 631. ISBN 0-900178-01-9.
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
  6. ^ "Coatbridge and Bellshill results". BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Coatbridge and Bellshill constituency". North Lanarkshire Council. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  8. ^ "UK Parliamentary Elections 2019". northlanarkshire.gov.uk. North Lanarkshire Council.
  9. ^ "Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Election results". northlanarkshire.gov.uk. 5 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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