Glasgow Central by-election, 1989

The Glasgow Central by-election, in the Glasgow Central constituency, Scotland, was held on June 15, 1989. It was caused by the death of the sitting Member of Parliament for the constituency, Robert McTaggart.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) had high hopes of repeating their victory from the previous year at the by-election for the Glasgow Govan seat, and they chose as their candidate a close associate of their Govan victor, Jim Sillars in Alex Neil. However, the hoped for victory did not transpire for the SNP, as Mike Watson retained the seat for the Labour Party with a 6,462 majority, despite a 20.3% rise in the SNP share of the votes cast.

The Liberal Democrats fell to fifth place, the worst position achieved by a major party in any British by-election since the Walsall North by-election, 1976.

This was also the only parliamentary contest engaged in by the Scottish Socialist Party that existed at the time (which should not be confused with the present day Scottish Socialist Party). Their candidate was Bill Kidd.

Results

Election box begin no clear
title=Glasgow Central by-election, 1989Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Mike Watson
votes = 14,480
percentage = 54.6
change = -9.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Alex Neil
votes = 8,018
percentage = 30.2
change = +20.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Allan Hogarth
votes = 2,028
percentage = 7.6
change = -5.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party (UK)
candidate = Irene Brandt
votes = 1,019
percentage = 3.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Robert McCreadie
votes = 411
percentage = 1.5
change = -9.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic Party (UK)
candidate = Peter Kerr
votes = 253
percentage = 1.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Revolutionary Communist Party (Furedi)
candidate = Linda Murdoch
votes = 141
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Scottish Socialist
candidate = Bill Kidd
votes = 137
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Revolutionary Party (UK)
candidate = David Lettice
votes = 48
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 6,462
percentage = 24.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 26,535
percentage = 52.9
change = -12.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -15.1

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Robert McTaggart
votes = 21,619
percentage = 64.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = B. Jenkin
votes = 4,366
percentage = 13.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = J. Bryden
votes = 3,528
percentage = 10.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = A. Wilson
votes = 3,339
percentage = 10.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party (UK)
candidate = A. Brooks
votes = 290
percentage = 0.9
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = J. McGoldrick
votes = 265
percentage = 0.8
change = Election box candidate
party = Red Front
candidate = D. Owen
votes = 126
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 17,253
percentage = 51.5
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 65.6
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

ee also

* Glasgow Central (UK Parliament constituency)
* Elections in Scotland
* List of United Kingdom by-elections