Lanark (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids
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Lanark was a special area in Scotland that used to elect a person to represent it in the UK Parliament. The Parliament is the main law-making group for the whole country. This area was called a "constituency."
From 1918 to 1983, the Lanark constituency chose one Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to speak for their local area in Parliament. They were chosen using a system called "first past the post," which means the candidate with the most votes wins.
Before this, there was an older constituency called Lanark Burghs. It existed from 1708 to 1832.
Contents
What Was the Lanark Area Like?
Defining the Borders of Lanark
When the Lanark constituency was first created in 1918, it included a large part of the Upper Ward County District. This also included all the towns within that district. It also covered parts of the Middle Ward County District, specifically the areas around Avondale, East Kilbride, Glassford, and Stonehouse.
Later, in 1948, the rules for the constituency changed a bit. The Lanark area then included the towns of Biggar and Lanark. It also covered several local districts, making sure it didn't overlap with the Hamilton constituency.
Who Represented Lanark?
Members of Parliament for Lanark
The people elected to be the MP for Lanark changed over the years. Here's a list of the MPs and the political parties they belonged to:
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | Walter Elliot | Unionist | |
| 1923 | Thomas Scott Dickson | Labour | |
| 1924 | Stephen Mitchell | Unionist | |
| 1929 | Thomas Scott Dickson | Labour | |
| 1931 | Alec Douglas-Home, Lord Dunglass | Unionist | |
| 1945 | Tom Steele | Labour | |
| 1950 | Alec Douglas-Home, Lord Dunglass | Unionist | |
| 1951 | Patrick Maitland | Unionist | |
| 1959 | Judith Hart | Labour | |
| 1983 | Constituency abolished | ||
Election Outcomes in Lanark
How Votes Changed Over Time
The Lanark constituency saw many elections, with different political parties winning. The main parties competing were the Unionist Party (which later became part of the Conservative Party) and the Labour Party.
In the early years, the Unionist Party often won. For example, Walter Elliot won for the Unionists in 1918 and 1922. However, the Labour Party, with Thomas Scott Dickson, won in 1923 and 1929. This showed that the area could switch between parties.
In the 1930s, the Unionist Party, represented by Alec Douglas-Home, Lord Dunglass, was very strong. He won in both 1931 and 1935.
After World War II, in 1945, the Labour Party's Tom Steele won the seat. But then, in 1950, Alec Douglas-Home won it back for the Unionists. Another Unionist, Patrick Maitland, held the seat for the Unionists in 1951 and 1955.
By 1959, the Labour Party gained the seat again with Judith Hart. She continued to be the MP for Lanark through the 1960s and 1970s. She won elections in 1964, 1966, 1970, and both elections in 1974. She also won the last election for the constituency in 1979.
The Lanark constituency was eventually removed in 1983. Its areas were then included in new constituencies.
Images for kids
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Elizabeth Mitchell, a candidate for the Scottish Liberal Party in 1924.
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Stephen Mitchell, Unionist MP for Lanark from 1924 to 1929.
