2019_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland
2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland
United Kingdom general election held in Scotland
The 2019 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 12 December 2019,[1] two and a half years after the previous general election in June 2017. The Scottish National Party (SNP) received the most votes (45%, up 8.1% from the previous election) and won 48[n 1] out of 59 seats—a gain of 13 over those won in 2017, and 81% of the Scottish seats in the House of Commons.[2]
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All 59 Scottish seats to the House of Commons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 68.1%  1.6pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coloured according to the winning party's vote share in each constituency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SNP gains came at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives. The Tories remained the largest unionist party in Scotland even though they lost more than half of their Scottish seats, winning six compared to thirteen in 2017. Labour was reduced to only one seat, down from seven. The Liberal Democrats managed to win four Scottish seats for no net change, although party leader Jo Swinson (herself the only major party leader to stand for election in Scotland) was unseated in her bid for re-election by her SNP challenger.
Labour's vote share was its lowest at a Westminster election in Scotland since December 1910.[3][4]
The June 2017 general election in Scotland was fought in the aftermath of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, in which the SNP won a third term in government but lost its overall majority in the Scottish Parliament (although the proportional electoral system at Holyrood was intentionally designed to make it very difficult for any one party to gain a majority). The 2016 EU referendum was held a month later on Thursday 23 June, and the final result was for the United Kingdom to leave the EU, although Scotland voted 62.0% Remain. Negotiations then began after the invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union in March 2017, which was expected to dominate the snap general election campaign.[5]
In March First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for a second independence referendum due to Scotland's vote to remain in the EU the previous year. The result was the issue dominated the 2017 general election and, although the SNP remained the largest party, their number of seats was much reduced, with the Scottish Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats gaining a total of 21 seats.[6] Former First Minister Alex Salmond and Westminster leader Angus Robertson were among those who lost their seats.[6]
In the 2019 European Parliament election, Scottish Labour lost its two MEPs, UKIP lost its seat, the SNP increased its number to three, the Scottish Conservatives held theirs and the Brexit Party and Liberal Democrats gained one each.
| Pollster/client(s) | Date(s) conducted |
Sample size |
SNP | Con | Lab | Lib Dem | Green | UKIP | Change UK | Brexit | Other | Lead | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 general election | 12 Dec 2019 | – | 45.0% | 25.1% | 18.6% | 9.5% | 1.0% | 0.1% | – | 0.5% | 0.1% | 19.9% | ||
| Survation/The Courier | 10–11 Dec 2019 | 1,012 | 43% | 28% | 20% | 7% | 1% | – | – | 1% | – | 15% | ||
| YouGov (MRP) | 4–10 Dec 2019 | [7] | 41% | 27% | 20% | 10% | 1% | – | – | 1% | – | 14% | ||
| Panelbase/Sunday Times | 3–6 Dec 2019 | 1,020 | 39% | 29% | 21% | 10% | 1% | – | – | 0% | 0% | 10% | ||
| YouGov/The Times | 29 Nov–3 Dec 2019 | 1,002 | 44% | 28% | 15% | 12% | 1% | – | – | 0% | 0% | 16% | ||
| Ipsos MORI/STV | 19–25 Nov 2019 | 1,046 | 44% | 26% | 16% | 11% | 2% | – | – | <1% | – | 18% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 20–22 Nov 2019 | 1,009 | 40% | 28% | 20% | 11% | <1% | – | – | <1% | <1% | 12% | ||
| 15 Nov | Nominations for candidates close (final candidates announced) | |||||||||||||
| 6 Nov | Parliament dissolved and official campaign period begins | |||||||||||||
| YouGov | 23–25 Oct 2019 | 1,060 | 42% | 22% | 12% | 13% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 0% | 20% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 9–11 Oct 2019 | 1,003 | 39% | 21% | 19% | 13% | 2% | – | – | 5% | – | 18% | ||
| YouGov/The Times | 30 Aug–3 Sep 2019 | 1,059 | 43% | 20% | 15% | 12% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 0% | 23% | ||
| 29 Aug 2019 | Ruth Davidson resigns as leader of the Scottish Conservatives[8] | |||||||||||||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 18–20 Jun 2019 | 1,024 | 38% | 18% | 17% | 13% | 2% | <1% | <1% | 9% | – | 20% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 14–17 May 2019 | 1,021 | 38% | 18% | 19% | 10% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 9% | <1% | 19% | ||
| YouGov/The Times | 24–26 Apr 2019 | 1,029 | 43% | 20% | 17% | 9% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 4% | 0% | 23% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 18–24 Apr 2019 | 1,018 | 38% | 22% | 21% | 6% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 5% | <1% | 16% | ||
| Survation/Scotland in Union | 18–23 Apr 2019 | 1,012 | 41% | 22% | 24% | 8% | – | – | – | – | 5% | 17% | ||
| Panelbase/Wings Over Scotland | 28 Feb–6 Mar 2019 | 1,002 | 37% | 27% | 22% | 7% | 2% | 2% | 2% | – | <1% | 10% | ||
| Survation/Scottish Daily Mail | 1–4 Mar 2019 | 1,011 | 40% | 24% | 23% | 8% | – | – | – | – | 4% | 16% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 30 Nov–5 Dec 2018 | 1,028 | 37% | 26% | 26% | 6% | 2% | 2% | – | – | <1% | 11% | ||
| Survation/Scotland in Union | 9–13 Nov 2018 | 1,013 | 39% | 26% | 24% | 8% | – | – | – | – | 3% | 13% | ||
| Panelbase/Constitutional Commission | 2–7 Nov 2018 | 1,050 | 37% | 28% | 25% | 7% | 2% | 2% | – | – | 3% | 9% | ||
| Survation/Channel 4 | 20 Oct–2 Nov 2018 | 1,734 | 40% | 27% | 23% | 7% | 1% | 1% | – | – | 1% | 13% | ||
| Survation/Daily Record | 18–21 Oct 2018 | 1,017 | 36% | 27% | 26% | 7% | 1% | – | – | – | 1% | 9% | ||
| Survation/SNP | 3–5 Oct 2018 | 1,013 | 37% | 28% | 26% | 6% | – | – | – | – | 2% | 9% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 28 Sep–4 Oct 2018 | 1,024 | 38% | 27% | 24% | 6% | 2% | 2% | – | – | <1% | 11% | ||
| Survation/The Sunday Post | 28 Sep–2 Oct 2018 | 1,036 | 41% | 26% | 24% | 7% | – | – | – | – | 3% | 15% | ||
| Survation/Daily Record | 5–10 Jul 2018 | 1,004 | 42% | 24% | 23% | 8% | – | – | – | – | 3% | 18% | ||
| Panelbase/Wings Over Scotland | 21–26 Jun 2018 | 1,018 | 38% | 27% | 25% | 7% | 2% | <1% | – | – | <1% | 11% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 8–13 Jun 2018 | 1,021 | 38% | 27% | 27% | 6% | 2% | <1% | – | – | <1% | 11% | ||
| YouGov/The Times | 1–5 Jun 2018 | 1,075 | 40% | 27% | 23% | 7% | 2% | 1% | – | – | 1% | 13% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 23–28 Mar 2018 | 1,037 | 36% | 28% | 27% | 6% | 2% | 1% | – | – | <1% | 8% | ||
| Ipsos MORI/STV | 5–11 Mar 2018 | 1,050 | 39% | 25% | 26% | 6% | 4% | 0% | – | – | 0% | 13% | ||
| Survation/Daily Record | 24–28 Jan 2018 | 1,029 | 39% | 24% | 27% | 7% | – | – | – | – | 3% | 12% | ||
| YouGov/The Times | 12–16 Jan 2018 | 1,002 | 36% | 23% | 28% | 6% | 3% | 3% | – | – | 0% | 8% | ||
| Survation/The Sunday Post | 1–5 Dec 2017 | 1,006 | 38% | 24% | 29% | 7% | – | – | – | – | 3% | 9% | ||
| Survation/Daily Record | 27–30 Nov 2017 | 1,017 | 37% | 25% | 28% | 7% | – | – | – | – | 3% | 9% | ||
| 18 Nov 2017 | Richard Leonard officially becomes leader of Scottish Labour[9] | |||||||||||||
| YouGov/The Times | 2–5 Oct 2017 | 1,135 | 40% | 23% | 30% | 5% | 1% | 1% | – | – | 0% | 10% | ||
| Survation/Scottish Daily Mail | 8–12 Sep 2017 | 1,016 | 39% | 26% | 26% | 7% | – | – | – | – | 2% | 13% | ||
| Panelbase/The Sunday Times | 31 Aug–7 Sep 2017 | 1,021 | 41% | 27% | 24% | 6% | 2% | – | – | – | – | 14% | ||
| 2017 general election | 8 Jun 2017 | – | 36.9% | 28.6% | 27.1% | 6.8% | 0.2% | 0.2% | – | – | 0.3% | 8.3% | ||
Seat projections
| Pollster/client(s) | Date(s) conducted |
Con | Lab | SNP | Lib Dem | Green | Brexit | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 general election | 12 December 2019 | 6 | 1 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| YouGov MRP | 10 December 2019 | 9 | 5 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ipsos MORI Scotland/STV Archived 28 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine | 28 November 2019 | 6 | 1 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| YouGov MRP | 27 November 2019 | 11 | 2 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 general election | 8 June 2017 | 13 | 7 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Television debates
Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Scottish broadcasters hosted television debates. On 20 November, BBC Scotland's flagship political programme, Debate Night, moderated by Stephen Jardine, hosted a Young Voter's Special with representatives from the main parties where they debated in front of an audience of voters aged under 30. On 3 December, STV hosted a television debate moderated by Colin Mackay[10] and BBC Scotland announced that they would host a debate on 10 December, two days before the election, moderated by Sarah Smith.
| Date | Organisers | Venue | Moderators | P Present S Standing-in NI Not invited A Absent I Invited | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Con | Lab | SNP | LD | Green | Brexit | ||||
| 20 November | BBC Scotland (Debate Night)[n 2] | Scottish Youth Theatre, Glasgow | Stephen Jardine | S Gallacher |
S Sweeney |
S Linden |
S Cole-Hamilton |
P Slater |
NI |
| 26 November | Sky News | City Observatory, Edinburgh | Adam Boulton | S Greene |
P Leonard |
S Blackford |
P Rennie |
A Harvie |
NI |
| 2 December | BBC (Victoria Derbyshire Election Debate) | North Berwick, East Lothian | Victoria Derbyshire | S Hoy |
S Whitfield |
S MacAskill |
S O'Riordan |
NI | NI |
| 3 December[10] | STV | STV Pacific Quay, Glasgow | Colin Mackay | P Carlaw |
P Leonard |
P Sturgeon |
P Rennie |
NI | NI |
| 10 December | BBC Scotland | BBC Pacific Quay, Glasgow | Sarah Smith | P Carlaw |
P Leonard |
P Sturgeon |
P Rennie |
NI | NI |
The Scottish National Party have been represented in UK-wide television debates in addition due to being the third largest party in the House of Commons.
Reaction
| Date(s) administered |
Poll source | Sample size | Carlaw | Leonard | Sturgeon | Rennie | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STV Leaders Debate | |||||||
| 3 December 2019 | STV News Archived 3 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine[n 3] | 7,170 | 10% | 5% | 80% | 5% | 70% |
| 3 December 2019 | HeraldScotland | 9,115 | 7% | 4% | 87% | 2% | 80% |
| BBC Leaders Debate | |||||||
| 10 December 2019 | HeraldScotland | 2,834 | 7% | 17% | 72% | 4% | 55% |
Leader's interviews
In addition to television debates, BBC Scotland and STV also interviewed Scottish party leaders on The Nine and Scotland Tonight in the run-up to the general election, alongside guest commentary too.
On 4 December, the four main Scottish party leaders took part in leaders interviews with fictional character Chief Commissioner Cameron Mickelson from the BBC Scotland sitcom, Scot Squad.[11]
| Party[12] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
| SNP | 48[n 1] | 14 | 1 | 13 |
81.36 | 1,242,380 | 45.0 | 8.1 | |
| Conservative | 6 | 0 | 7 |  7 |
10.17 | 692,939 | 25.1 | 3.5 | |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
1.69 | 511,838 | 18.6 | 8.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | 1 | 1 |  |
6.77 | 263,417 | 9.5 | 2.8 | |
| Scottish Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
— | 28,122 | 1.0 | 0.8 | |
| Brexit Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13,243 | 0.5 | new | ||
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
— | 3,303 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
| Others | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
— | 3,819 | 0.1 | 0.1 | |
| 2,759,061 | 68.1 | 1.6 | |||||||
Votes summary
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List of constituencies by party
Scottish Conservatives
| Rank | Constituency | Winning party 2017 | Swing required |
Conservatives' place 2019 |
Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perth and North Perthshire | SNP | 0.02% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 2 | Lanark and Hamilton East | SNP | 0.26% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 3 | Edinburgh South West | SNP | 1.11% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 4 | Argyll and Bute | SNP | 1.38% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 5 | East Lothian | Labour | 3.24% | 3rd | SNP | ||
| 6 | Linlithgow and Falkirk East | SNP | 3.63% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 7 | Ayrshire North and Arran | SNP | 3.66% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 8 | Edinburgh North and Leith | SNP | 3.9% | 3rd | SNP | ||
Scottish Labour
| Rank | Constituency | Winning party 2017 | Swing required |
Labour's place 2019 |
Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasgow South West | SNP | 0.08% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 2 | Glasgow East | SNP | 0.10% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 3 | Airdrie and Shotts | SNP | 0.26% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 4 | Lanark and Hamilton East | SNP | 0.36% | 3rd | SNP | ||
| 5 | Motherwell and Wishaw | SNP | 0.38% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 6 | Inverclyde | SNP | 0.49% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 7 | Dunfermline and West Fife | SNP | 0.81% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 8 | Edinburgh North and Leith | SNP | 1.44% | 2nd | SNP | ||
Scottish Liberal Democrats
| Rank | Constituency | Winning party 2017 | Swing Required | Liberal Democrats' place 2019 | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North East Fife | SNP | <0.01% | 1st | Liberal Democrats | ||
| 2 | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | SNP | 9.67% | 2nd | SNP | ||
| 3 | Argyll and Bute | SNP | 15.04% | 3rd | SNP | ||
| 4 | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | SNP | 18.26% | 3rd | SNP | ||
Scottish National Party
| Rank | Constituency | Winning party 2017 | Swing required | SNP's place 2019 | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stirling | Conservative | 0.15% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 2 | Rutherglen and Hamilton West | Labour | 0.26% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 3 | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Labour | 0.28% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 4 | Glasgow North East | Labour | 0.38% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 5 | Midlothian | Labour | 0.98% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 6 | Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | Labour | 1.76% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 7 | Gordon | Conservative | 2.43% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 8 | East Lothian | Labour | 2.76% | 1st | SNP | ||
| 9 | Edinburgh West | Liberal Democrats | 2.83% | 2nd | Liberal Democrats | ||
- Includes Neale Hanvey, who was suspended from the party at the time of his election and thus took his seat as an independent.
- Young Voter's Special with representatives from the main parties where they debated in front of an audience of voters aged under 30
- Social polling conducted by STV News shortly after the debate
- The seat was won by Neale Hanvey, who was suspended from the party at the time of his election and thus took his seat as an independent.
- "UK set for 12 December general election". BBC News. 29 October 2019.
- "Sturgeon says SNP landslide 'mandate for indyref2'". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- Jamieson, David (17 December 2019). "Analysis: Gathering storm – why 2020 is set to be a year of tension between Edinburgh and London". CommonSpace. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- Riddoch, Lesley (19 December 2019). "Lesley Riddoch: London is looking at Scotland with envy". The National. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- Fidler, Stephen (18 April 2017). "Brexit Set to Dominate U.K.'s Snap Election". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- "General election 2017: SNP lose a third of seats amid Tory surge". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021.
- This was a UK-wide poll, and the number of participants in Scotland was not recorded.
- "Ruth Davidson quits as Scottish Tory leader citing Brexit and family". The Guardian. 29 August 2019. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- "Richard Leonard to lead Scottish Labour". BBC News. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
- "STV to host General Election debate with Scottish leaders". STV News. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "Scot Squad chief to grill Scotland's leaders ahead of general election". BBC News. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
