Glasgow Southside is a burgh constituency of the Scottish Parliament, 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. Under the additional-member electoral system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, it is also one of eight constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 28.
The seat was held by Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland from 2014 to 2023, for the Scottish National Party (SNP). She held it from the time that the seat was created for 2011 Scottish Parliament election, until standing down as an MSP in 2026. The SNP were unable to hold the seat at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, when it was won by Holly Bruce of the Scottish Greens.
Electoral region
The other seven constituencies of the Glasgow region are Glasgow Anniesland, Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok, Glasgow Central, Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn, Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill, and Rutherglen and Cambuslang. The region covers most of the Glasgow City council area, and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area.Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 143.
Prior to the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in 2025, the other eight constituencies of the Glasgow region were Glasgow Anniesland, Glasgow Cathcart, Glasgow Kelvin, Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Glasgow Pollok, Glasgow Provan, Glasgow Shettleston, and Rutherglen. The region covered the Glasgow City council area and a north-western portion of the South Lanarkshire council area.
Constituency boundaries and council areas
The constituency was created following the first periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries, and was first contested at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election. The electoral wards used to define the seat were:
In full: Southside Central, Pollokshields In part: Govan (shared with Pollok)
At the second periodic review of Scottish Parliament boundaries changes were recommended by Boundaries Scotland, with the new boundaries set to be used for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. The electoral wards used to define the Glasgow Southside at this review were:Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries: Report to Scottish Ministers, p 141. Pollokshields (entire ward) Langside (entire ward) Southside Central (shared with Glasgow Central)
Constituency profile
The constituency has attracted a high amount of media interest over the years due to its status as the constituency of the former 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 and other 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.
Member of the Scottish Parliament The former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, represented the constituency from its creation in the 2011 election, until stepping down from Holyrood in 2026. 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.
Holly Bruce of the Scottish Greens gained the seat from the SNP at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, becoming the first Green MSP to win a constituency seat in Glasgow.
ElectionMemberParty 2011Nicola SturgeonScottish National Party 2026Holly BruceScottish Greens
Elections 2020s
2010s
See also Politics of Glasgow Glasgow South (UK Parliament constituency)
References Footnotes
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External links