1988 Glasgow Govan by-election facts for kids
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The Glasgow Govan by-election was a special election held in Govan, Scotland, on 10 November 1988. A by-election happens when a Member of Parliament (MP) leaves their job before the next general election. This election was for the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament.
This by-election happened because Bruce Millan, who was the MP for Govan, resigned. He left his role to become a European Commissioner, which is a big job in the European Union.
The result of this election was a big surprise. Jim Sillars, who used to be a Labour MP, won the seat for the Scottish National Party. This was a major change because Govan had been a strong area for the Labour Party. Jim Sillars won with 3,554 more votes than the Labour candidate. This showed a big shift in how people in Govan were voting.
Contents
Understanding By-Elections
A by-election is a special election that takes place when a seat in Parliament becomes empty. This can happen if an MP resigns, retires, or passes away. Instead of waiting for the next big general election, people in that area get to vote for a new MP right away.
Why Govan Needed a New MP
- Bruce Millan's New Job: The MP for Govan, Bruce Millan, was chosen to be a European Commissioner. This is a very important role in the European Union, which the UK was part of at the time.
- Leaving Parliament: Because he took this new job, he had to leave his position as an MP. This created an empty seat in the House of Commons for the Govan area.
- Time for a Vote: When a seat becomes empty, a by-election is held so that the people of that area can choose a new person to represent them in Parliament.
Govan's Election History
Bruce Millan had been the MP for Govan since the 1983 general election. Before that, he represented a different area called Glasgow Craigton. The Govan area was changed a bit in 1983, and parts of his old area became part of Govan.
At the previous general election in 1987, Bruce Millan had easily won the Govan seat for the Labour Party. He got a lot of votes, increasing his share from 55% in 1983 to nearly 65% in 1987. Other parties, like the SDP and the Conservatives, saw their votes go down. However, the Scottish National Party (SNP) did get more votes in 1987, showing they were becoming more popular in the area.
Election Results
The by-election in Govan had several candidates from different political parties. The main candidates were Jim Sillars for the Scottish National Party and Bob Gillespie for the Labour Party.
| 1988 Glasgow Govan by-election | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| SNP | Jim Sillars | 14,677 | 48.8 | +38.4 | |
| Labour | Bob Gillespie | 11,123 | 36.9 | -27.8 | |
| Conservative | Graeme Hamilton | 2,207 | 7.3 | -4.6 | |
| SLD | Bernard Ponsonby | 1,246 | 4.1 | -8.2 | |
| Green (UK) | George Campbell | 345 | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Communist | Douglas Chalmers | 281 | 0.9 | +0.3 | |
| Monster Raving Loony | Lord Sutch | 174 | 0.6 | N/A | |
| Independent | Fraser Clark | 51 | 0.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 3,554 | 11.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 30,104 | 60.2 | |||
| SNP gain from Labour | Swing | 33.1 | |||
Who Won and What it Meant
- Jim Sillars Wins: Jim Sillars of the Scottish National Party won the election with 14,677 votes. This was 48.8% of all the votes.
- Labour in Second: Bob Gillespie from the Labour Party came in second with 11,123 votes (36.9%).
- Big Change: Jim Sillars' win was a big deal because it meant the Scottish National Party took a seat that had been held by the Labour Party for a long time. This showed that the SNP was gaining more support in Scotland.
See also
- 1889 Govan by-election
- 1973 Glasgow Govan by-election
- Govan
- Elections in Scotland
- Lists of United Kingdom by-elections
