Glasgow Southside is a

constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

of the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyr ...

( Holyrood), being one of eight constituencies within the Glasgow City council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. It is also one of nine constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of

proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...

for the region as a whole. It is currently the constituency of First Minister

Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...

, who has held it for the

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from th ...

since the seat was created for

2011 Scottish Parliament election The 2011 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the Additional M ...

Electoral region

The other eight constituencies of the Glasgow region are Glasgow Anniesland, Glasgow Cathcart, Glasgow Kelvin,

Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood), being one of eight constituencies within the Glasgow City council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first p ...

, Glasgow Pollok, Glasgow Provan, Glasgow Shettleston and

Rutherglen Rutherglen (, sco, Ruglen, gd, An Ruadh-Ghleann) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, immediately south-east of the city of Glasgow, from its centre and directly south of the River Clyde. Having existed as a Lanarkshire burgh in its own ...

. The region covers the Glasgow City council area and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area.

Constituency boundaries and council areas

The electoral wards used in the creation of Southside were: *In full: Southside Central,

Pollokshields Pollokshields ( gd, Buthan Phollaig, Scots: ''Powkshiels'') is an area in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. Its modern boundaries are largely man-made, being formed by the M77 motorway to the west and northwest with the open land of Pollok ...

*In part:

Govan Govan ( ; Cumbric?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south b ...

(shared with Pollok)

Member of the Scottish Parliament

The First Minister,

, has represented the constituency since its creation in 2011 election. She was previously an MSP for the Glasgow regional list from 1999 to 2007, and Glasgow Govan between 2007 and 2011 until the abolition of that constituency.

Constituency profile

The constituency has attracted a high amount media interest over the years due to its status as the constituency of the First Minister. A profile in ''The Scotsman'' described it as, "one of Scotland’s most diverse constituencies. It takes in the gated mansions of Pollokshields as well as Ibrox and Govan, which once teemed with shipyard workers. It takes in Strathbungo, with its Greek Thomson terraces as well as the Gorbals, a former melting pot of Irish, Italian and Jewish immigration." Problems with slum landlords, vermin and refuse collections have been highlighted as particular issues in the area. During the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Glasgow City Council were accused of dispatching cleaners to the constituency to spruce it up prior to press events in the area.

Elections

2020s

2010s

Notes

External links

* {{Nicola Sturgeon Govan Politics of Glasgow Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions from 2011 Nicola Sturgeon Constituencies of the Scottish Parliament 2011 establishments in Scotland Constituencies established in 2011 Gorbals Pollokshields Govanhill and Crosshill