Paisley South LAB Hold

Scottish Parliament election

constituency

	Paisley South	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	Hugh Henry	LAB	10190	40.8	-6.5
	Bill Martin	SNP	7737	31.0	-1.0
	Eileen McCartin	LD	3517	14.1	+4.0
	Mark Jones	CON	1775	7.1	-1.2
	Frances Curran	SSP	1765	7.1	+7.1
		MAJORITY	2453	9.8
		TURNOUT	24984	50.2

ELECTORATE	49818

Top-up region: West of Scotland

DESCRIPTION: Paisley South

Located in industrial Clydeside, the town grew up on the linen trade, and textiles is still an important, if declining, industry. But unemployment has been a problem in recent years. This seat includes just over half of the town centre, as well as the smaller town of Johnstone.

The MP is Douglas Alexander, brother of Wendy, who has been the MSP for neighbouring Paisley North. He won it in an acrimonious by-election in 1999. Renfrewshire councillor Hugh Henry won the Holyrood seat for Labour with a majority of more than 4,000 votes over his SNP challenger. After a spell as convener of the parliament's European committee, he became a deputy minister, first for health, then justice. Like many urban west of Scotland seats, jobs creation and social issues are likely to play a significant part in the campaign.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	13899	45.3
	SNP	9404	30.7
	LD	2974	9.7
	CON	2433	7.9
	IND	1273	4.2
	SWP	673	2.2

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	17830	58.4
	SNP	5920	19.4
	LD	3178	10.4
	CON	2301	7.5
	SSP	835	2.7
	PLA	346	1.1
	IND	126	0.4