Post by MacShimidh on Feb 28, 2021 19:02:29 GMT
Glasgow South is the most uniformly affluent of Glasgow's seven constituencies. To look at a list of areas contained within this seat - Cathcart, Newlands and Pollokshields, to name just three - is to look at a list of some of Scotland's most expensive and desirable urban areas. There are, of course, some areas of deprivation in this seat (the most obvious example being Castlemilk), but on the whole, this is a constituency of impressive white sandstone tenements, large mansions located in leafy avenues, and sweeping vistas offering some of the best views over the city. It was the least amenable Glasgow constituency to Scottish independence, with Yes only barely scraping over 50% in 2014. However, its result in the 2016 referendum was far more emphatic, with a Remain vote of nearly 72% placing it amongst the most pro-EU constituencies anywhere in the UK.
The western boundary of this seat is dominated by the largest and most beloved of Glasgow's dear green places, Pollok Country Park. Containing 360 acres of lush greenery watered by the White Cart Water, the park is usually rammed on a sunny day, and it also attracts a fair number of tourists whenever the Burrell Collection is open. There is a mix of housing surrounding the park - to its south, Carnwadric and Mansweood are among the more deprived areas within this constituency. However, to the east of the park, we come across such neighbourhoods as Auldhouse, Newlands, and Cathcart, which are among the wealthiest not just in Glasgow but in the whole of Scotland. Owner-occupation is significantly higher here than in much of the rest of Glasgow, as are income levels, educational attainment and levels of public health.
To the north of Pollok Park lies the traditional home of Glasgow's monied elite, Pollokshields. Wandering around Pollokshields today, you will see many of the largest and most expensive mansions in the city, many of which were once owned by Glasgow's shipbuilding and industrial magnates. Although it is right next to grittier areas such as Govan, it somehow manages to feel miles away from the rest of the city. It is also a surprisingly diverse area, with those from an Asian background making up more than a third of the population in some parts. Politically speaking, Pollokshields has long been an area of strength for the Conservatives, and for nearly two decades up until 2017, it was home to Glasgow's sole Conservative councillor. At the turn of the century, this was Catherine Lyon, whose strong opposition to the Iraq War led to her falling out with the party. Latterly, it was David Meikle, who was perhaps more famous for being married to one-time SNP MP for Glasgow East, Natalie McGarry!
Immediately to Pollokshields' southeast lies the Shawlands, the most central part of this seat. The Shawlands is popular with students and yuppies and has become highly gentrified, and has a completely different, more bohemian, feel to the rest of this seat. In contrast, nearby Langside is more middle-class and boasts the rather more stylish white sandstone tenements so popular in the more well-heeled parts of Glasgow. Historically speaking, this area has an association with Mary Queen of Scots, who in 1568 was decisively defeated at the Battle of Langside and forced into exile and eventual imprisonment in England. Glasgow has paid tribute to this history by quite literally naming the area Battlefield, and it is itself a rather desirable and prosperous area. As we head further east we come across another interesting Glaswegian place name in the form of Mount Florida. Whilst not quite as upmarket as Battlefield or Langside, Mount Florida has experienced some gentrification in recent years, especially around the train station, perhaps having to do with the area's national and even international repute as it is home to Hampden Park, Scotland's national football stadium.
Travelling south past King's Park, both the geography and the character of this constituency begin to shift noticeably. By the time we get to Croftfoot, the sandstone tenements have largely disappeared, being replaced instead by interwar "cottage" style housing. The terrain also becomes steadily more hilly as we begin climbing the Cathkin Braes. About halfway up the Braes, we find ourselves in Castlemilk, the most recently-built of Glasgow's "Big Four" post-war housing schemes. Castlemilk is by some distance the most deprived part of this constituency, and despite a sustained effort at regeneration, the area comes near the bottom of the list for several social indicators. If we travel further up the Braes, we come to Glasgow's most southerly point, the conservation village of Carmunnock. Carmunnock is one of the most unique places within the Glasgow city boundaries - indeed, it feels not so much a part of the nation's largest city, but more like a small Borders village. Additionally, it is one of the few places left in Glasgow where the Lib Dems still poll respectably, adding to the distinctiveness of the place.
Since its creation in 2005, Glasgow South has had two MPs. Its first was Labour's Tom Harris, first elected as MP for Glasgow Cathcart in 2001, and a contender for the most disliked politician of Scottish Labour's twilight years. Harris could perhaps be best described as a Blairite-on-steroids for whom even Gordon Brown was too left-wing. A junior minister from 2006-2008, Harris got a taste for higher office and subsequently stood for the leadership of Scottish Labour in 2011, but finished last with a derisory 8% of the vote. By the time of the 2015 general election, the idea of Scottish Labour as "Red Tories" had become a common talking point among nationalists, and although this was a largely bogus trope, politicians like Harris gave it some credence. In fact, he would go on to prove his critics quite right - after losing his seat, he subsequently left the party and backed the Conservatives in 2017 and 2019. His successor as MP for Glasgow South is the SNP's Stewart McDonald, a young party official seen by some as a rising star within the party.
At first glance, Glasgow South looks like most other seats in the region - it is a Labour seat that fell to the SNP in 2015. However, there are some key differences that set it apart from nearby constituencies. For instance, Labour's share of the vote has consistently been lower here than in most other Glasgow seats - even in their very strong year of 2010, they only barely scraped 50%. However, until 2015, the opposition was too small and too fragmented to give Labour any real scare here. The Lib Dems managed 20% in 2005, as did the SNP in 2010, but this was as close as anyone got. Furthermore, being the successor to the old Glasgow Cathcart, this was long the Conservatives' strongest seat in Glasgow, although up until 2017, "strongest" merely meant holding onto around 10% of the vote. But in a sign of the strange political times we live in, in 2019 they performed better in Glasgow North West and, of all places, Glasgow East!
As for the SNP, this has become their second-strongest seat in Glasgow, rather surprising given the relatively low Yes vote in 2014. One reason for their dominance may have to do with the local popularity of Nicola Sturgeon, who represents some northern sections of this seat at Holyrood, although in all likelihood, the seat's strongly pro-Remain bent is the most pertinent factor. At #112, this seat is now quite far down Labour's target list, and although it is still a must-win for them, they will probably have to hope for a collapse in the SNP vote before they can realistically expect to take it back.
The western boundary of this seat is dominated by the largest and most beloved of Glasgow's dear green places, Pollok Country Park. Containing 360 acres of lush greenery watered by the White Cart Water, the park is usually rammed on a sunny day, and it also attracts a fair number of tourists whenever the Burrell Collection is open. There is a mix of housing surrounding the park - to its south, Carnwadric and Mansweood are among the more deprived areas within this constituency. However, to the east of the park, we come across such neighbourhoods as Auldhouse, Newlands, and Cathcart, which are among the wealthiest not just in Glasgow but in the whole of Scotland. Owner-occupation is significantly higher here than in much of the rest of Glasgow, as are income levels, educational attainment and levels of public health.
To the north of Pollok Park lies the traditional home of Glasgow's monied elite, Pollokshields. Wandering around Pollokshields today, you will see many of the largest and most expensive mansions in the city, many of which were once owned by Glasgow's shipbuilding and industrial magnates. Although it is right next to grittier areas such as Govan, it somehow manages to feel miles away from the rest of the city. It is also a surprisingly diverse area, with those from an Asian background making up more than a third of the population in some parts. Politically speaking, Pollokshields has long been an area of strength for the Conservatives, and for nearly two decades up until 2017, it was home to Glasgow's sole Conservative councillor. At the turn of the century, this was Catherine Lyon, whose strong opposition to the Iraq War led to her falling out with the party. Latterly, it was David Meikle, who was perhaps more famous for being married to one-time SNP MP for Glasgow East, Natalie McGarry!
Immediately to Pollokshields' southeast lies the Shawlands, the most central part of this seat. The Shawlands is popular with students and yuppies and has become highly gentrified, and has a completely different, more bohemian, feel to the rest of this seat. In contrast, nearby Langside is more middle-class and boasts the rather more stylish white sandstone tenements so popular in the more well-heeled parts of Glasgow. Historically speaking, this area has an association with Mary Queen of Scots, who in 1568 was decisively defeated at the Battle of Langside and forced into exile and eventual imprisonment in England. Glasgow has paid tribute to this history by quite literally naming the area Battlefield, and it is itself a rather desirable and prosperous area. As we head further east we come across another interesting Glaswegian place name in the form of Mount Florida. Whilst not quite as upmarket as Battlefield or Langside, Mount Florida has experienced some gentrification in recent years, especially around the train station, perhaps having to do with the area's national and even international repute as it is home to Hampden Park, Scotland's national football stadium.
Travelling south past King's Park, both the geography and the character of this constituency begin to shift noticeably. By the time we get to Croftfoot, the sandstone tenements have largely disappeared, being replaced instead by interwar "cottage" style housing. The terrain also becomes steadily more hilly as we begin climbing the Cathkin Braes. About halfway up the Braes, we find ourselves in Castlemilk, the most recently-built of Glasgow's "Big Four" post-war housing schemes. Castlemilk is by some distance the most deprived part of this constituency, and despite a sustained effort at regeneration, the area comes near the bottom of the list for several social indicators. If we travel further up the Braes, we come to Glasgow's most southerly point, the conservation village of Carmunnock. Carmunnock is one of the most unique places within the Glasgow city boundaries - indeed, it feels not so much a part of the nation's largest city, but more like a small Borders village. Additionally, it is one of the few places left in Glasgow where the Lib Dems still poll respectably, adding to the distinctiveness of the place.
Since its creation in 2005, Glasgow South has had two MPs. Its first was Labour's Tom Harris, first elected as MP for Glasgow Cathcart in 2001, and a contender for the most disliked politician of Scottish Labour's twilight years. Harris could perhaps be best described as a Blairite-on-steroids for whom even Gordon Brown was too left-wing. A junior minister from 2006-2008, Harris got a taste for higher office and subsequently stood for the leadership of Scottish Labour in 2011, but finished last with a derisory 8% of the vote. By the time of the 2015 general election, the idea of Scottish Labour as "Red Tories" had become a common talking point among nationalists, and although this was a largely bogus trope, politicians like Harris gave it some credence. In fact, he would go on to prove his critics quite right - after losing his seat, he subsequently left the party and backed the Conservatives in 2017 and 2019. His successor as MP for Glasgow South is the SNP's Stewart McDonald, a young party official seen by some as a rising star within the party.
At first glance, Glasgow South looks like most other seats in the region - it is a Labour seat that fell to the SNP in 2015. However, there are some key differences that set it apart from nearby constituencies. For instance, Labour's share of the vote has consistently been lower here than in most other Glasgow seats - even in their very strong year of 2010, they only barely scraped 50%. However, until 2015, the opposition was too small and too fragmented to give Labour any real scare here. The Lib Dems managed 20% in 2005, as did the SNP in 2010, but this was as close as anyone got. Furthermore, being the successor to the old Glasgow Cathcart, this was long the Conservatives' strongest seat in Glasgow, although up until 2017, "strongest" merely meant holding onto around 10% of the vote. But in a sign of the strange political times we live in, in 2019 they performed better in Glasgow North West and, of all places, Glasgow East!
As for the SNP, this has become their second-strongest seat in Glasgow, rather surprising given the relatively low Yes vote in 2014. One reason for their dominance may have to do with the local popularity of Nicola Sturgeon, who represents some northern sections of this seat at Holyrood, although in all likelihood, the seat's strongly pro-Remain bent is the most pertinent factor. At #112, this seat is now quite far down Labour's target list, and although it is still a must-win for them, they will probably have to hope for a collapse in the SNP vote before they can realistically expect to take it back.
