On 12 December 2019, the 2019 United Kingdom general election was held in Scotland, to elect all 650 members of the House of Commons, including the 59 Scottish seats.

It was held two and a half years after the previous general election in June 2017. The Scottish National Party (SNP) received the most votes (45%, up 8.1% from the previous election) and won 48 out of 59 seats—a gain of 13 over those won in 2017, and 81% of the Scottish seats in the House of Commons.

SNP gains came at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives. The Tories remained the largest unionist party in Scotland even though they lost more than half of their Scottish seats, winning six compared to thirteen in 2017. Labour was reduced to only one seat, down from seven. The Liberal Democrats won four Scottish seats for no net change, although party leader Jo Swinson (herself the only major party leader to stand for election in Scotland) was unseated in her bid for re-election by her SNP challenger.

Labour's vote share was its lowest at a Westminster election in Scotland since December 1910.

Political context The June 2017 general election in Scotland was fought in the aftermath of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, in which the SNP won a third term in government but lost its overall majority in the Scottish Parliament (although the proportional electoral system at Holyrood was intentionally designed to make it very difficult for any one party to gain a majority). The 2016 EU referendum was held a month later on Thursday 23 June, and the final result was for the United Kingdom to leave the EU, although Scotland voted 62.0% Remain. Negotiations then began after the invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union in March 2017, which was expected to dominate the snap general election campaign.

In March First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for a second independence referendum due to Scotland's vote to remain in the EU the previous year. The result was the issue dominated the 2017 general election and, although the SNP remained the largest party, their number of seats was much reduced, with the Scottish Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats gaining a total of 21 seats. Former First Minister Alex Salmond and Westminster leader Angus Robertson were among those who lost their seats.

In the 2019 European Parliament election, Scottish Labour lost its two MEPs, UKIP lost its seat, the SNP increased its number to three, the Scottish Conservatives held theirs and the Brexit Party and Liberal Democrats gained one each.

Opinion polling

Pollster/client(s) Date(s)conducted Samplesize SNP Con Lab Lib Dem Green UKIP Change UK Brexit Other Lead 2019 general election 12 Dec 2019 – 45.0% 25.1% 18.6% 9.5% 1.0% 0.1% – 0.5% 0.1% 19.9% Survation/The Courier 10–11 Dec 2019 1,012 43% 28% 20% 7% 1% – – 1% – 15% YouGov (MRP) 4–10 Dec 2019 This was a UK-wide poll, and the number of participants in Scotland was not recorded. 41% 27% 20% 10% 1% – – 1% – 14% Panelbase/Sunday Times 3–6 Dec 2019 1,020 39% 29% 21% 10% 1% – – 0% 0% 10% YouGov/The Times 29 Nov–3 Dec 2019 1,002 44% 28% 15% 12% 1% – – 0% 0% 16% Ipsos MORI/STV 19–25 Nov 2019 1,046 44% 26% 16% 11% 2% – – <1% – 18%Panelbase/The Sunday Times 20–22 Nov 2019 1,009 40% 28% 20% 11% <1% – – <1% <1% 12% 15 Nov Nominations for candidates close (final candidates announced) 6 Nov Parliament dissolved and official campaign period beginsYouGov 23–25 Oct 2019 1,060 42% 22% 12% 13% 4% 0% 0% 6% 0% 20% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 9–11 Oct 2019 1,003 39% 21% 19% 13% 2% – – 5% – 18% YouGov/The Times 30 Aug–3 Sep 2019 1,059 43% 20% 15% 12% 4% 0% 0% 6% 0% 23% 29 Aug 2019 Ruth Davidson resigns as leader of the Scottish Conservatives Panelbase/The Sunday Times 18–20 Jun 2019 1,024 38% 18% 17% 13% 2% <1% <1% 9% – 20% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 14–17 May 2019 1,021 38% 18% 19% 10% 3% 1% 2% 9% <1% 19% YouGov/The Times 24–26 Apr 2019 1,029 43% 20% 17% 9% 3% 1% 2% 4% 0% 23% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 18–24 Apr 2019 1,018 38% 22% 21% 6% 2% 2% 3% 5% <1% 16% Survation/Scotland in Union 18–23 Apr 2019 1,012 41% 22% 24% 8% – – – – 5% 17% Panelbase/Wings Over Scotland 28 Feb–6 Mar 2019 1,002 37% 27% 22% 7% 2% 2% 2% – <1% 10% Survation/Scottish Daily Mail 1–4 Mar 2019 1,011 40% 24% 23% 8% – – – – 4% 16% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 30 Nov–5 Dec 2018 1,028 37% 26% 26% 6% 2% 2% – – <1% 11% Survation/Scotland in Union 9–13 Nov 2018 1,013 39% 26% 24% 8% – – – – 3% 13% Panelbase/Constitutional Commission 2–7 Nov 2018 1,050 37% 28% 25% 7% 2% 2% – – 3% 9% Survation/Channel 4 20 Oct–2 Nov 2018 1,734 40% 27% 23% 7% 1% 1% – – 1% 13% Survation/Daily Record 18–21 Oct 2018 1,017 36% 27% 26% 7% 1% – – – 1% 9% Survation/SNP 3–5 Oct 2018 1,013 37% 28% 26% 6% – – – – 2% 9% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 28 Sep–4 Oct 2018 1,024 38% 27% 24% 6% 2% 2% – – <1% 11% Survation/The Sunday Post 28 Sep–2 Oct 2018 1,036 41% 26% 24% 7% – – – – 3% 15% Survation/Daily Record 5–10 Jul 2018 1,004 42% 24% 23% 8% – – – – 3% 18% Panelbase/Wings Over Scotland 21–26 Jun 2018 1,018 38% 27% 25% 7% 2% <1% – – <1% 11% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 8–13 Jun 2018 1,021 38% 27% 27% 6% 2% <1% – – <1% 11% YouGov/The Times 1–5 Jun 2018 1,075 40% 27% 23% 7% 2% 1% – – 1% 13% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 23–28 Mar 2018 1,037 36% 28% 27% 6% 2% 1% – – <1% 8% Ipsos MORI/STV 5–11 Mar 2018 1,050 39% 25% 26% 6% 4% 0% – – 0% 13% Survation/Daily Record 24–28 Jan 2018 1,029 39% 24% 27% 7% – – – – 3% 12% YouGov/The Times 12–16 Jan 2018 1,002 36% 23% 28% 6% 3% 3% – – 0% 8% Survation/The Sunday Post 1–5 Dec 2017 1,006 38% 24% 29% 7% – – – – 3% 9% Survation/Daily Record 27–30 Nov 2017 1,017 37% 25% 28% 7% – – – – 3% 9% 18 Nov 2017 Richard Leonard officially becomes leader of Scottish Labour YouGov/The Times 2–5 Oct 2017 1,135 40% 23% 30% 5% 1% 1% – – 0% 10% Survation/Scottish Daily Mail 8–12 Sep 2017 1,016 39% 26% 26% 7% – – – – 2% 13% Panelbase/The Sunday Times 31 Aug–7 Sep 2017 1,021 41% 27% 24% 6% 2% – – – – 14% 2017 general election 8 Jun 2017 – 36.9% 28.6% 27.1% 6.8% 0.2% 0.2% – – 0.3% 8.3%

Seat projections Pollster/client(s) Date(s)conductedConLabSNPLib DemGreenBrexit Other 2019 general election12 December 201961 484000YouGov MRP10 December 201995414000Ipsos MORI Scotland/STV 28 November 201961484000YouGov MRP27 November 20191124240002017 general election8 June 2017 13 735 4 0 0 0

Campaign events

Television debates

Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Scottish broadcasters hosted television debates. On 20 November, BBC Scotland's flagship political programme, Debate Night, moderated by Stephen Jardine, hosted a Young Voter's Special with representatives from the main parties where they debated in front of an audience of voters aged under 30. On 3 December, STV hosted a television debate moderated by Colin Mackay and BBC Scotland announced that they would host a debate on 10 December, two days before the election, moderated by Sarah Smith.

DateOrganisersVenueModerators ConLabSNPLDGreenBrexit20 NovemberBBC Scotland (Debate Night)Scottish Youth Theatre, GlasgowStephen Jardine SGallacher SSweeney SLinden SCole-Hamilton NI 26 November Sky News City Observatory, Edinburgh Adam Boulton SGreene SBlackfordHarvieNI2 DecemberBBC (Victoria Derbyshire Election Debate)North Berwick, East LothianVictoria Derbyshire SHoy SWhitfield SMacAskill SO'RiordanNINI3 DecemberSTVSTV Pacific Quay, GlasgowColin Mackay NINI10 DecemberBBC ScotlandBBC Pacific Quay, GlasgowSarah Smith NINI

The Scottish National Party have been represented in UK-wide television debates in addition due to being the third largest party in the House of Commons.

Reaction

Date(s) administered Poll source Sample sizeCarlawLeonardSturgeonRennie LeadSTV Leaders Debate3 December 2019 STV News 7,170 10% 5%80% 5% 70%3 December 2019HeraldScotland9,115 7% 4%87% 2% 80%BBC Leaders Debate10 December 2019 HeraldScotland2,834 7% 17%72% 4% 55%

Leader's interviews

In addition to television debates, BBC Scotland and STV also interviewed Scottish party leaders on The Nine and Scotland Tonight in the run-up to the general election, alongside guest commentary too.

On 4 December, the four main Scottish party leaders took part in leaders interviews with fictional character Chief Commissioner Cameron Mickelson from the BBC Scotland sitcom, Scot Squad.

Results +PartySeatsAggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Difference 48 14 1 13 81.36 1,242,380 45.0 8.1 6 0 7 7 10.17 692,939 25.1 3.5 1 0 6 6 1.69 511,838 18.6 8.5 4 1 1 6.77 263,417 9.5 2.8 0 0 0 — 28,122 1.0 0.8 0 colspan=3 — 13,243 0.5 0 0 0 — 3,303 0.1 0.1   Others 0 0 0 — 3,819 0.1 0.1 Total 59 2,759,061 68.1 1.6

Votes summary

List of constituencies by party

Target seats Scottish Conservatives Rank ConstituencyWinning party 2017 Swingrequired Conservatives'place 2019Result1Perth and North Perthshire 0.02% 2nd 2Lanark and Hamilton East 0.26% 2nd 3Edinburgh South West 1.11% 2nd 4Argyll and Bute 1.38% 2nd 5East Lothian 3.24% 3rd 6Linlithgow and Falkirk East 3.63% 2nd 7Ayrshire North and Arran 3.66% 2nd 8Edinburgh North and Leith 3.9% 3rd

Scottish Labour

Rank ConstituencyWinning party 2017 Swingrequired Labour'splace 2019Result1Glasgow South West 0.08% 2nd 2Glasgow East 0.10% 2nd 3Airdrie and Shotts 0.26% 2nd 4Lanark and Hamilton East 0.36% 3rd 5Motherwell and Wishaw 0.38% 2nd 6Inverclyde 0.49% 2nd 7Dunfermline and West Fife 0.81% 2nd 8Edinburgh North and Leith 1.44% 2nd

Scottish Liberal Democrats

RankConstituencyWinning party 2017Swing RequiredLiberal Democrats' place 2019Result1North East Fife <0.01%1st 2Ross, Skye and Lochaber 9.67%2nd 3Argyll and Bute 15.04%3rd 4Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 18.26%3rd

Scottish National Party

RankConstituencyWinning party 2017Swing requiredSNP's place 2019Result1Stirling 0.15%1st 2Rutherglen and Hamilton West 0.26%1st 3Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 0.28%1st 4Glasgow North East 0.38%1st 5Midlothian 0.98%1st 6Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 1.76%1st 7Gordon 2.43%1st 8East Lothian 2.76%1st 9Edinburgh West 2.83%2nd

See also 2019 United Kingdom general election in England 2019 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland 2019 United Kingdom general election in Wales

Footnotes

References