Motherwell & Wishaw LAB Hold

Scottish Parliament election

constituency

	Motherwell & Wishaw	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	Jack McConnell	LAB	13739	54.1	+8.2
	Lloyd Quinan	SNP	4480	17.6	-11.6
	Mark Nolan	CON	2542	10.0	-2.2
	John Milligan	SSP	1961	7.7	+7.7
	John Swinburne	SSCU	1597	6.3	+6.3
	Keith Legg	LD	1069	4.2	-2.0
		MAJORITY	9259	36.5
		TURNOUT	25388	49

ELECTORATE	51785

Top-up region: Central Scotland

DESCRIPTION: Motherwell & Wishaw

This seat in the industrial heart of Scotland has suffered more than most from the decline in traditional industries. The former Ravenscraig steelworks were closed in 1992 with a loss of 1,500 jobs. The decline of coal and engineering has also meant job losses. The overwhelming majority of homes in this mainly working-class seat are council-rented. The industrial landscape has been softened in recent years through the development of Strathclyde Country Park, which includes a 200-acre artificial loch.

Motherwell has a historical significance for the SNP. It was the scene of the 1945 wartime by-election at which Dr Robert McIntyre was elected as the party’s first MP. Labour won the seat back at the 1945 general election and have held it ever since. Won by Jack McConnell, subsequently first minister, in 1999, it has gained a degree of notoriety after allegations of financial irregularities in the local Labour party. An internal inquiry cleared Mr McConnell and MP Frank Roy of any impropriety, but the affair symbolised for many the murky nature of Lanarkshire politics.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	13925	45.9
	SNP	8879	29.3
	CON	3694	12.2
	SLP	1941	6.4
	LD	1895	6.2

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	16681	56.2
	SNP	5725	19.3
	CON	3155	10.6
	LD	2791	9.4
	SSP	1260	4.2
	SLP	61	0.2