Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn SNP is a constituency branch of the SNP, which covers the Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Scottish Parliamentary constituency.
The constituency was created in 2011 from a merger of parts of the Glasgow Maryhill, Glasgow Springburn and a small part of the Glasgow Anniesland constituencies (the parts of Glasgow Anniesland were Kelvindale and Kelvinside that had previously been in Glasgow Hillhead before 1997).
This page gives you a history of the branch, and the elections we have fought in our current form, but also as Springburn, and Maryhill branches.
This page is still in development, and we’ll update throughout the year. If you have any leaflets, photos, cuttings or stories we’d love to hear from you. Email us at archive@snpmaryhillspringburn.scot
May 2020
The Old Springburn Seat
Looking back at the historic constituencies, which make up most of the area covered by the present day branch, in the old Glasgow Springburn constituency Angus MacIntosh polled 9.2% for the SNP in 1964.
William J Morton stood 3 times in the constituency achieving a high-point in 1974 first with 22.8% in February then 28.3% in October. This fell back to 12.6% in 1979. John McLaughlin polled 8.1% in 1983; a young Brendan O’Hara came second on 10.2% in 1987.
At this point almost three quarters of the constituency voted Labour.
Things began to recover for the SNP in the early 90s with Stuart Miller gaining 19.5% of the vote in 1992, John R. Brady 16.5% in 1997, the year of New Labour
Sandy Bain gained 19.4% in 2001 while standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin (formerly a Labour MP). Other parties did not contest this seat as they don not oppose the speaker, another “quirk” of Westminster traditions.
By 2005 new boundaries were drawn in Scotland which reduced the number of Scottish Westminster seats from 72 to 59, and Glasgow Springburn was absorbed into Glasgow North East.
The Old Maryhill Seat
Further west, Glasgow Maryhill seat was held by Labour MP William Hannan from 1945-74.
In 1966 the SNP fielded Hugh MacDonald as a candidate who achieved 11% of the vote.
1970s
A.C.W. Aitken achieved a similar result in 1970s. The mid-70s marked a high point for the SNP in this constituency and many others, with A. MacIntosh achieving 24% in February 1974 and 29% in the October general election.
Thatcher Era
The 1979 election and the 1980s represented the lean years for the party with D. McGlashan, Iain Morrison, and G. Roberts all receiving between 7 and 11% of the vote. We didn’t fare much better in the council elections. In the 1986 Strathcylyde Regional Council elections in Maryhill/Summerson the SNP came third on 11% behind Labour on 62% and The Liberals on 22%. In the same election, in Kelvidale the SNP polled 7%
1992 and beyond
By 1992 the SNP were on 19%, even polling 17% in the New Labour whirlwind that wipped out the Tories from Scotland. The final election of the Glasgow Maryhill constituency in 2001 saw Alex Dingwall come 2nd on 15.9% of the vote.
The Scottish Parliament era
1999 First Scottish Parliament Election
In Maryhill, our candidate Bill Wilson achieved 30.98% of the vote behind Labour on 49.78%
Over in Springburn John Brady achieved 26.2% of the vote behind Labour on 58.6%. The winning candidate was Paul Martin who was to hold the seat until 2016.
2003 Scottish Parliament Election
In 2003, Bill Wilson came 2nd on a vote of 19.9% in Maryhill, and in Springburn Frank Rankin came 2nd with 15.9%.
2005 Westminster Election
The new Glasgow seats were fought over by all parties, except for Glasgow North East. This seat was contested by Michael Martin, Speaker of the House. By tradition the speaker is not challenged, however this denies peopel the chance to have their say. As such, the SNP fielded a candidate and continued to build support in a heavily Labour supporting constituency.
The new SNP Scottish Government
2007 Scottish Parliament Election
In 2007, Bob Doris and the SNP had achieved a vote of 32.1%.
2009 Glasgow North East By-Election
13 candidates stood in the by-election after Michael Martin stood down as speaker. It included a former Big Brother contestant, John Smeaton of Glasgow Airport fame, and a as-yet unknown Ruth Davidson. Labour continued to romp home, although the SNP finished second on 20%
2010 General Election
The new Maryhill and Springburn constituency
2011 Scottish Parliament Election
In 2011 candidate Bob Doris achieved 2nd place on a 41.8% of the vote on a 9.8% swing.
2014 Scottish Independence Referendum
After the referendum
2015 Westminster Landslide
Patrick Grady won Glasgow North on a 28.9% swing, gaining 53.1% of the vote. In the eastern half of the branch Anne McLaughlin won Glasgow North East with a record-breaking 39.3% swing and 58.1% of the vote.
2016 Victory in Maryhill and Springburn
In 2016, Bob Doris made history by becoming the first ever SNP MSP for Maryhill and Springburn. Getting 55.5% of the vote on a 13.7% swing. One of the highest in Glasgow.
2017 – Three in a row: Glasgow City Council Elections