698:
Although the by-election saw a significant swing from Labour to SNP, because the SNP failed to take the seat it was seen as a defeat for them. Labour did even better, and the SNP worse, shortly after this, in the 1978 regional elections, and
Westminster by-elections in
1737:
1171:
189:
in
February 1974 and Garscadden in the October 1974 general election. In that contest the SNP replaced the Conservative Party as the runners up to Labour in Glasgow Garscadden. He was also a senior figure in
816:
1164:
140:. In his maiden speech in the Commons Dewar railed against a proposed increase on potato tax. This was his first notable success - the tax was repealed in 1967. That year he was made
793:
1157:
1183:
1706:
1128:
919:
786:
1701:
1696:
1691:
1686:
1681:
1676:
1671:
1666:
1661:
1656:
1651:
1646:
1641:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
812:
721:
1149:
771:
1762:
1340:
823:
805:
779:
716:
35:
1363:
151:, who Dewar later confessed to never really establishing a rapport with. He held that position until 1969. In April 1968 he was proposed for a
99:
1752:
1625:
186:
103:
886:
692:
253:
198:
145:
137:
1567:
1020:
217:
1711:
1133:
1433:
1015:
704:
106:
he was elected for
Glasgow Garscadden which was largely the same constituency under a new name. He held that seat until his death.
1468:
1508:
1462:
1198:
209:
237:
was the
Communist candidate. He contested Glasgow Garscadden in February 1974, 1979 and 1983, as well as at this by-election.
1398:
1004:
925:
213:
95:
1747:
1549:
1270:
1217:
1190:
1047:
948:
858:
164:
133:
91:
1619:
1585:
1282:
290:
62:
1716:
1520:
1322:
1223:
1138:
231:, which was a short lived breakaway party from the Labour Party. She did not contest any other parliamentary election.
114:
1456:
1334:
1179:
954:
801:
599:
241:
1480:
1450:
1410:
1381:
1305:
1264:
1252:
987:
982:
576:
1532:
1514:
1369:
1235:
942:
695:, a lengthy gap. The SNP was widely seen as being on a rise, doing well at the 1977 district council elections.
171:
141:
110:
1526:
1502:
1497:
1474:
1415:
1351:
936:
891:
841:
741:
221:
691:
The by-election was important as it was the first
Westminster by-election in Scotland to take place since the
87:, serving on its national committee from 1955 to 1957 and as president of the union's West Ayrshire district.
1573:
1555:
1328:
971:
84:
31:
1404:
1345:
1229:
553:
228:
1602:
1579:
1561:
1357:
1240:
896:
863:
1317:
1246:
1042:
1037:
1009:
902:
874:
175:
1757:
1742:
1427:
1375:
1288:
1258:
998:
931:
880:
700:
1311:
992:
28:
1276:
868:
532:
511:
336:
315:
205:
182:
50:
1194:
8:
671:
429:
357:
652:
479:
410:
283:
152:
66:
660:
418:
148:
49:
of the Labour Party. It was important in that it was widely seen as halting the
185:(SNP) was Keith S. Bovey. He had previously contested the neighbouring seat of
80:
1738:
By-elections to the
Parliament of the United Kingdom in Glasgow constituencies
1731:
634:
392:
768:, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1984)
244:
stood Peter
Porteous, who did not contest any other parliamentary election.
486:
46:
469:
273:
160:
156:
24:
234:
129:
745:
128:
The Labour candidate was Donald
Campbell Dewar. He had worked as a
77:
70:
212:
for the
Conservatives in 1983. Later he was the SNP candidate for
39:
197:
Bovey went on to contest
Glasgow Hillhead in 1983, as well as
191:
136:
to Westminster to represent the marginal constituency of
132:
in Glasgow before being elected at the age of 28 in the
125:Six candidates were nominated for the by-election.
109:Small never held ministerial office, but served as
1729:
766:British Parliamentary Election Results 1974-1983
56:
722:List of United Kingdom by-elections (1950–1979)
452:By-Election 13 April 1978: Glasgow Garscadden
83:from 1945 to 1951 and an active member of the
65:(19 October 1909 – 18 January 1978) who was a
1165:
787:
159:but nothing came of it. He lost his seat to
38:, in the north west periphery of the City of
61:The by-election was caused by the death of
1172:
1158:
794:
780:
208:nominee was Iain M. Lawson. He contested
201:in the 1987 and 1992 general elections.
1763:April 1978 events in the United Kingdom
1730:
1199:House of Commons of the United Kingdom
446:Death of William Small 18 January 1978
1153:
817:47th Parliament of the United Kingdom
775:
670:
633:
456:
428:
391:
260:
1753:1978 elections in the United Kingdom
920:City of London and Westminster South
686:
227:Mrs Shiona Farrell represented the
21:1978 Glasgow Garscadden by-election
13:
14:
1774:
76:Small was an engineer. He was an
717:Glasgow Garscadden constituency
224:and the 1992 general election.
172:Secretary of State for Scotland
142:Parliamentary Private Secretary
111:Parliamentary Private Secretary
1341:Kinross and Western Perthshire
734:
222:1990 Paisley South by-election
170:Dewar later went on to become
27:held on 13 April 1978 for the
1:
1364:Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles
727:
693:October 1974 general election
254:General election October 1974
120:
85:Amalgamated Engineering Union
57:Previous Member of Parliament
1626:Rutherglen and Hamilton West
7:
1748:1970s elections in Scotland
887:Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central
710:
10:
1779:
1560:September 2005:
1531:September 1999:
1397:September 1971:
742:"1978 By Election Results"
176:First Minister of Scotland
1634:
1611:
1594:
1584:November 2009:
1578:November 2008:
1568:Dunfermline and West Fife
1566:February 2006:
1554:December 2000:
1548:November 2000:
1541:
1525:November 1997:
1507:November 1991:
1496:November 1990:
1489:
1473:November 1988:
1467:December 1982:
1442:
1409:November 1973:
1390:
1374:November 1967:
1350:December 1963:
1339:November 1963:
1333:November 1962:
1316:November 1961:
1297:
1281:November 1958:
1257:December 1955:
1245:December 1954:
1209:
1056:
1029:
1021:Pontefract and Castleford
963:
911:
850:
833:
651:
619:
468:
465:
462:
459:
409:
377:
272:
269:
266:
263:
53:(SNP) tide in the 1970s.
25:parliamentary by-election
1638:Lists of UK by-elections
1624:October 2023:
1434:Berwick and East Lothian
1432:October 1978:
1380:October 1969:
1251:January 1955:
1222:October 1950:
1060:Lists of UK by-elections
1016:Berwick and East Lothian
705:Berwick and East Lothian
247:
29:British House of Commons
242:Socialist Workers Party
183:Scottish National Party
51:Scottish National Party
1509:Kincardine and Deeside
1463:Coatbridge and Airdrie
1455:March 1982:
1420:April 1978:
1403:March 1973:
1368:March 1967:
1362:March 1965:
1310:April 1961:
1287:April 1959:
1269:March 1958:
1234:April 1954:
1216:April 1950:
104:February 1974 election
1601:June 2011:
1572:July 2008:
1513:June 1994:
1479:June 1989:
1461:June 1982:
1449:June 1980:
1327:June 1962:
1275:June 1958:
1228:July 1952:
256:: Glasgow Garscadden
229:Scottish Labour Party
165:1970 general election
134:1966 general election
92:1959 general election
1618:May 2021:
1519:May 1995:
1469:Glasgow Queen's Park
1426:May 1978:
1399:Stirling and Falkirk
1356:May 1964:
1304:May 1960:
1263:May 1957:
1005:Manchester Moss Side
926:Birmingham Stechford
96:Member of Parliament
94:, he was elected as
63:William Watson Small
1271:Glasgow Kelvingrove
1218:West Dunbartonshire
1048:Liverpool Edge Hill
949:Birmingham Ladywood
859:Coventry North West
672:Registered electors
453:
430:Registered electors
257:
146:Education Secretary
1620:Airdrie and Shotts
1586:Glasgow North East
1550:Glasgow Anniesland
1422:Glasgow Garscadden
1283:East Aberdeenshire
978:Glasgow Garscadden
451:
252:
36:Glasgow Garscadden
1725:
1724:
1521:Perth and Kinross
1323:Glasgow Bridgeton
1224:Glasgow Scotstoun
1147:
1146:
687:Political context
684:
683:
600:Socialist Workers
442:
441:
181:Representing the
153:Minister of State
115:Minister of Power
100:Glasgow Scotstoun
81:County Councillor
1770:
1758:1970s in Glasgow
1743:1978 in Scotland
1717:Hereditary peers
1712:Northern Ireland
1457:Glasgow Hillhead
1335:Glasgow Woodside
1204:
1203:
1188:
1174:
1167:
1160:
1151:
1150:
1139:Hereditary peers
1134:Northern Ireland
955:Bournemouth East
828:
819:
810:
796:
789:
782:
773:
772:
758:
757:
755:
753:
748:on 14 March 2012
744:. Archived from
738:
471:
454:
450:
275:
258:
251:
216:in 1987 and for
187:Glasgow Hillhead
174:, and the first
149:Anthony Crosland
69:politician from
1778:
1777:
1773:
1772:
1771:
1769:
1768:
1767:
1728:
1727:
1726:
1721:
1630:
1607:
1590:
1537:
1485:
1481:Glasgow Central
1451:Glasgow Central
1438:
1411:Edinburgh North
1386:
1382:Glasgow Gorbals
1306:Edinburgh North
1293:
1265:Edinburgh South
1253:Edinburgh North
1205:
1201:
1189:
1180:
1178:
1148:
1143:
1052:
1025:
988:Epsom and Ewell
983:Lambeth Central
959:
907:
846:
829:
824:48th Parliament
820:
811:
806:46th Parliament
802:
800:
762:
761:
751:
749:
740:
739:
735:
730:
713:
689:
558:Mrs S. Farrell
250:
123:
59:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1776:
1766:
1765:
1760:
1755:
1750:
1745:
1740:
1723:
1722:
1720:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1699:
1694:
1689:
1684:
1679:
1674:
1669:
1664:
1659:
1654:
1649:
1644:
1639:
1635:
1632:
1631:
1629:
1628:
1622:
1615:
1613:
1609:
1608:
1606:
1605:
1598:
1596:
1592:
1591:
1589:
1588:
1582:
1576:
1570:
1564:
1558:
1552:
1545:
1543:
1539:
1538:
1536:
1535:
1533:Hamilton South
1529:
1523:
1517:
1515:Monklands East
1511:
1505:
1500:
1493:
1491:
1487:
1486:
1484:
1483:
1477:
1471:
1465:
1459:
1453:
1446:
1444:
1440:
1439:
1437:
1436:
1430:
1424:
1418:
1413:
1407:
1401:
1394:
1392:
1388:
1387:
1385:
1384:
1378:
1372:
1370:Glasgow Pollok
1366:
1360:
1354:
1348:
1343:
1337:
1331:
1325:
1320:
1314:
1308:
1301:
1299:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1291:
1285:
1279:
1273:
1267:
1261:
1255:
1249:
1243:
1238:
1236:Edinburgh East
1232:
1226:
1220:
1213:
1211:
1207:
1206:
1177:
1176:
1169:
1162:
1154:
1145:
1144:
1142:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1057:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1033:
1031:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1023:
1018:
1012:
1007:
1001:
995:
990:
985:
980:
974:
967:
965:
961:
960:
958:
957:
951:
945:
943:Saffron Walden
939:
934:
928:
922:
915:
913:
909:
908:
906:
905:
899:
894:
889:
883:
877:
871:
866:
861:
854:
852:
848:
847:
845:
844:
837:
835:
831:
830:
799:
798:
791:
784:
776:
770:
769:
760:
759:
732:
731:
729:
726:
725:
724:
719:
712:
709:
688:
685:
682:
681:
679:
677:
674:
668:
667:
665:
663:
658:
650:
647:
646:
643:
640:
637:
631:
630:
627:
624:
621:
617:
616:
611:
608:
605:
602:
597:
594:
593:
588:
585:
582:
579:
574:
571:
570:
565:
562:
559:
556:
551:
548:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
530:
527:
526:
523:
520:
517:
514:
509:
506:
505:
500:
495:
490:
483:
476:
473:
472:
467:
464:
461:
458:
449:
448:
440:
439:
437:
435:
432:
426:
425:
423:
421:
416:
408:
405:
404:
401:
398:
395:
389:
388:
385:
382:
379:
375:
374:
369:
366:
363:
360:
355:
352:
351:
348:
345:
342:
339:
334:
331:
330:
327:
324:
321:
318:
313:
310:
309:
304:
299:
294:
287:
280:
277:
276:
271:
268:
265:
262:
249:
246:
199:Monklands West
138:Aberdeen South
122:
119:
58:
55:
45:It was won by
16:UK by-election
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1775:
1764:
1761:
1759:
1756:
1754:
1751:
1749:
1746:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1735:
1733:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1698:
1695:
1693:
1690:
1688:
1685:
1683:
1680:
1678:
1675:
1673:
1670:
1668:
1665:
1663:
1660:
1658:
1655:
1653:
1650:
1648:
1645:
1643:
1640:
1637:
1636:
1633:
1627:
1623:
1621:
1617:
1616:
1614:
1610:
1604:
1600:
1599:
1597:
1593:
1587:
1583:
1581:
1577:
1575:
1571:
1569:
1565:
1563:
1559:
1557:
1553:
1551:
1547:
1546:
1544:
1540:
1534:
1530:
1528:
1527:Paisley South
1524:
1522:
1518:
1516:
1512:
1510:
1506:
1504:
1503:Paisley South
1501:
1499:
1498:Paisley North
1495:
1494:
1492:
1488:
1482:
1478:
1476:
1475:Glasgow Govan
1472:
1470:
1466:
1464:
1460:
1458:
1454:
1452:
1448:
1447:
1445:
1441:
1435:
1431:
1429:
1425:
1423:
1419:
1417:
1416:Glasgow Govan
1414:
1412:
1408:
1406:
1402:
1400:
1396:
1395:
1393:
1389:
1383:
1379:
1377:
1373:
1371:
1367:
1365:
1361:
1359:
1355:
1353:
1352:Dumfriesshire
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1338:
1336:
1332:
1330:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1315:
1313:
1309:
1307:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1296:
1290:
1286:
1284:
1280:
1278:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1266:
1262:
1260:
1256:
1254:
1250:
1248:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1233:
1231:
1227:
1225:
1221:
1219:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1208:
1200:
1196:
1192:
1186:
1185:
1175:
1170:
1168:
1163:
1161:
1156:
1155:
1152:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1058:
1055:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1028:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1002:
1000:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
975:
973:
969:
968:
966:
962:
956:
952:
950:
946:
944:
940:
938:
937:Great Grimsby
935:
933:
929:
927:
923:
921:
917:
916:
914:
910:
904:
900:
898:
895:
893:
892:Walsall North
890:
888:
884:
882:
878:
876:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
856:
855:
853:
849:
843:
842:Woolwich West
839:
838:
836:
832:
826:
825:
818:
814:
808:
807:
797:
792:
790:
785:
783:
778:
777:
774:
767:
764:
763:
747:
743:
737:
733:
723:
720:
718:
715:
714:
708:
706:
702:
696:
694:
680:
678:
675:
673:
669:
666:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
649:
648:
644:
641:
638:
636:
632:
628:
625:
622:
618:
615:
612:
609:
606:
603:
601:
598:
596:
595:
592:
589:
586:
583:
580:
578:
575:
573:
572:
569:
566:
563:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
549:
545:
542:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
528:
524:
521:
518:
515:
513:
510:
508:
507:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
489:
488:
484:
482:
481:
477:
475:
474:
455:
447:
444:
443:
438:
436:
433:
431:
427:
424:
422:
420:
417:
415:
412:
407:
406:
402:
399:
396:
394:
390:
386:
383:
380:
376:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
359:
356:
354:
353:
349:
346:
343:
340:
338:
335:
333:
332:
328:
325:
322:
319:
317:
314:
312:
311:
308:
305:
303:
300:
298:
295:
293:
292:
291:William Small
288:
286:
285:
281:
279:
278:
259:
255:
245:
243:
238:
236:
232:
230:
225:
223:
219:
218:Paisley South
215:
211:
207:
202:
200:
195:
193:
188:
184:
179:
177:
173:
168:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
126:
118:
116:
112:
107:
105:
101:
97:
93:
88:
86:
82:
79:
74:
72:
68:
64:
54:
52:
48:
43:
41:
37:
33:
30:
26:
22:
1707:2010–present
1574:Glasgow East
1556:Falkirk West
1421:
1329:West Lothian
1202:1950–present
1191:By-elections
1182:
1129:2010–present
977:
972:Ilford North
822:
813:By-elections
804:
765:
752:17 September
750:. Retrieved
746:the original
736:
697:
690:
655:
613:
604:P. Porteous
590:
567:
537:I.M. Lawson
533:Conservative
502:
497:
492:
487:Donald Dewar
485:
478:
445:
413:
371:
337:Conservative
306:
301:
296:
289:
282:
239:
233:
226:
206:Conservative
203:
196:
180:
169:
155:position by
127:
124:
108:
89:
75:
67:Labour Party
60:
47:Donald Dewar
44:
32:constituency
20:
18:
1405:Dundee East
1346:Dundee West
1230:Dundee East
516:K.S. Bovey
362:M.R. Kibby
341:J. Corbett
320:K.S. Bovey
161:Iain Sproat
157:Roy Jenkins
117:from 1964.
1732:Categories
1603:Inverclyde
1580:Glenrothes
1562:Livingston
1358:Rutherglen
1241:Motherwell
953:November:
918:February:
901:December:
897:Workington
885:November:
864:Carshalton
728:References
581:S.A. Barr
460:Candidate
264:Candidate
235:Sammy Barr
121:Candidates
102:. At the
1702:1979–2010
1697:1950–1979
1692:1931–1950
1687:1918–1931
1682:1900–1918
1677:1885–1900
1672:1868–1885
1667:1857–1868
1662:1847–1857
1657:1832–1847
1652:1818–1832
1647:1806–1818
1642:1801–1806
1318:East Fife
1247:Inverness
1184:1900–1949
1124:1979–2010
1119:1950–1979
1114:1931–1950
1109:1918–1931
1104:1900–1918
1099:1885–1900
1094:1868–1885
1089:1857–1868
1084:1847–1857
1079:1832–1847
1074:1818–1832
1069:1806–1818
1064:1801–1806
1043:Knutsford
1038:Clitheroe
1014:October:
1010:Penistone
903:Cambridge
875:Rotherham
620:Majority
577:Communist
378:Majority
210:Dumbarton
130:solicitor
1428:Hamilton
1376:Hamilton
1289:Galloway
1259:Greenock
1195:Scotland
999:Hamilton
947:August:
932:Ashfield
881:Thurrock
711:See also
701:Hamilton
214:Stirling
78:Ayrshire
71:Scotland
1312:Paisley
1197:to the
1181:«
1036:March:
993:Wycombe
976:April:
970:March:
930:April:
924:March:
857:March:
821:»
815:to the
803:«
676:57,603
639:36,364
635:Turnout
519:11,955
493:16,507
434:54,700
397:38,756
393:Turnout
358:Liberal
323:12,100
297:19,737
220:in the
163:at the
144:to the
113:to the
90:At the
40:Glasgow
1277:Argyll
1187:«
1003:July:
941:July:
879:July:
873:June:
869:Wirral
840:June:
827:»
809:«
653:Labour
623:4,552
540:6,746
480:Labour
463:Votes
457:Party
411:Labour
381:7,637
365:1,915
344:5,004
284:Labour
267:Votes
261:Party
23:was a
1612:2020s
1595:2010s
1542:2000s
1490:1990s
1443:1980s
1391:1970s
1298:1960s
1210:1950s
997:May:
661:Swing
645:−1.8
642:69.1
629:−7.2
626:12.5
546:+5.6
543:18.5
525:+1.7
522:32.9
503:−5.5
498:45.4
419:Swing
403:−3.2
400:70.9
387:−8.3
384:19.7
350:−9.4
347:12.9
329:+9.3
326:31.2
307:−1.4
302:50.9
248:Votes
1030:1979
964:1978
912:1977
851:1976
834:1975
754:2015
703:and
656:hold
610:0.5
607:166
587:1.1
584:407
564:1.6
561:583
414:hold
368:5.0
240:The
204:The
98:for
19:The
1193:in
614:New
591:New
568:New
554:SLP
512:SNP
372:New
316:SNP
192:CND
34:of
1734::
707:.
470:±%
466:%
274:±%
270:%
194:.
178:.
167:.
73:.
42:.
1173:e
1166:t
1159:v
795:e
788:t
781:v
756:.
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