Airdrie_and_Shotts_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)

Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997 onwards


Airdrie and Shotts is a constituency of the UK House of Commons, located in central Scotland within the North Lanarkshire council area. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) at least once every five years using the first-past-the-post system of voting.

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The constituency has existed since 1997; however, it underwent significant boundary changes in 2005. Before 2015, it could have been described as a safe seat for the Labour Party, who held it with a majority of over 12,000 votes until Neil Gray of the Scottish National Party (SNP) was elected at that year's general election. Former MPs for the constituency include: Pamela Nash, former Baby of the House, John Reid, former Labour Home Secretary and Defence Secretary, and Helen Liddell, former Labour Scottish Secretary.

It is a generally working-class, urban seat, and contains the towns of Airdrie, Calderbank, Chapelhall, Glenmavis and Shotts.

From 2015-21, the Member of Parliament for the seat was Neil Gray of the SNP. He resigned in March 2021 to run for a seat in the Scottish Parliament, triggering a by-election.[1]

Constituency profile

The majority of this constituency maintains the boundaries of its predecessor. From the North Lanarkshire constituency come Holytown and Newarthill. This seat is positioned on either side of the M8 motorway to Glasgow. Small semi-urban towns such as Shotts (including Stane and Dykehead) were added to Airdrie in the 1997 redistribution to form this seat, the predecessor of which was Monklands East. An area in the eastern part of Coatbridge is also part of the constituency.

Electoral Calculus describes the seat as "Traditional", characterised by working class people with lower levels of income and formal education.[2]

Boundaries and history

Map of current boundaries

1997–2005: The Monklands District electoral divisions of Airdrie North and Airdrie South, and the Motherwell District electoral division of Fortissat.

2005–present: The North Lanarkshire Council wards of academy, Airdrie Central, Airdrie North,[3] Airdrie South,[3] Benhar, Calderbank, Chapelhall, Clarkston, Craigneuk and Petersburn, Dykehead, Holytown, New Monkland West, Newarthill, Newmains, North Cairnhill and Coatdyke, Plains and Caldercruix, Salsburgh, South East Cairnhill and Gartlea, Stane, and Whinhall. In 2007 these were converted into multi-member wards, with the following falling within the constituency: Airdrie Central, Airdrie North, Airdrie South, Fortissat, Mossend and Holytown (part), Murdostoun (part).

The 2005 changes saw the seat lose some territory to Motherwell and Wishaw whilst gaining part of Hamilton North and Bellshill. It proved to be a Labour Party stronghold from its creation until the Scottish National Party gained it at the 2015 general election, with Neil Gray winning the seat from Pamela Nash by 8,779 votes. Gray's majority dipped to just 195 in the 2017 election. However, in the 2019 election he won by 5,201 votes.[4]

On 24 March 2021 it was formally announced that Neil Gray had officially stood down as the Member of Parliament for Airdrie and Shotts to contest the 2021 Scottish Parliament election seat of the same name.

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies the constituency will be redrawn with minor changes before next general election.

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Members of Parliament

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Election results

Elections in the 2020s

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Elections in the 2010s

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Elections in the 2000s

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Elections in the 1990s

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See also


References

  1. Sim, Philip [@BBCPhilipSim] (24 March 2021). "This is now confirmed: Neil Gray has gone from being MP for Airdrie and Shotts to the Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead (...which is one way of quitting Westminster) - and as of tomorrow will be the SNP candidate to be MSP for Airdrie and Shotts. By-election incoming" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 March 2021 via Twitter.
  2. "Airdrie and Shotts: Seat Details". Electoral Calculus. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  3. Baxter, Martin (14 September 2018). "Seat Details". Electoral Calculus. Retrieved 8 February 2019.[dead link]
  4. "UK Parliamentary Elections 2019". North Lanarkshire Council. Retrieved 16 November 2019.[dead link]
  5. "Election Data 2017". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  6. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  7. "Election results". North Lanarkshire Council. 5 May 2015.[dead link]
  8. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. "Election 2010 - Constituency - Airdrie & Shotts". BBC News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  10. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

55.845°N 3.892°W / 55.845; -3.892


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