Glasgow Kelvin (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Kelvin is a
constituency of the
Scottish Parliament (
Holyrood). It elects one
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the
plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, however, it is one of ten constituencies in the
Glasgow electoral region, which elects seven
additional members, in addition to ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of
proportional representation for the region as a whole.
See also Glasgow Scottish Parliament regionThe other nine constituencies of the Glasgow region are
Glasgow Anniesland,
Glasgow Baillieston,
Glasgow Cathcart,
Glasgow Govan,
Glasgow Maryhill,
Glasgow Pollok,
Glasgow Rutherglen,
Glasgow Shettleston and
Glasgow Springburn.
The region covers the
Glasgow City council area, a north-western portion of the
South Lanarkshire council area and a small eastern portion of the
Renfrewshire council area.
The Glasgow Kelvin constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in
1999, with the name and boundaries of an existing
Westminster constituency. In
2005, however, Scottish Westminster (
House of Commons) constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies.
The Holyrood constituency is entirely within the Glasgow City council area, in the west of the council area. It is south of the Anniesland and Maryhill constituencies, west of Springburn and Shettleston and north of Govan. The Anniesland, Maryhill, Springburn and Shettleston constituencies are also entirely within the city area. The Govan constituency also covers a small eastern portion of the Renfrewshire council area.
The city centre is contained in this one constituency, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the main rail stations, the cathedral, BBC offices and Scottish Exhibition Centre. All three of Glasgow's universities are here too, making it supposedly the most educated constituency in Scotland. The large student population is an important factor in elections. The
Merchant City is also here, yuppie housing built out of the disused cotton and tobacco warehouses. This area is a symbol of the rebirth of the city, and Kelvin is undoubtedly the most prosperous seat in Glasgow, although it also includes less affluent areas.
The predecessor to the Westminster constituency seat,
Glasgow Hillhead, was the last
Conservative seat in the city until
Roy Jenkins won it for the
Social Democratic Party at a by-election in 1982. He held it in
1983 general election but it was taken by
Labour's
George Galloway in
1987.
* 1999 - 2003
Pauline McNeill 
