1977 City of Glasgow District Council election

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1977 City of Glasgow
District Council election
← 1974 3 May 1977 (1977-05-03) 1980 →
All 72 seats to City of Glasgow District Council
37 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Dick Dynes
Party Labour Conservative
Last election 55 seats 17 seats
Seats won 30 25
Seat change Decrease25 Increase8
Popular vote 100,649 82,113
Percentage 35.1% 28.7%
Swing Decrease12.6% Decrease0.1%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Frank Hannigan
Party Scottish National Liberal
Last election 0 seats 0 seats
Seats won 16 1
Seat change Increase16 Increase1
Popular vote 93,695 5,439
Percentage 32.7% 1.9%
Swing Increase13.5% Decrease0.3%
Council Leader before election


Labour

Elected Council Leader


No overall control

Elections for the City of Glasgow District Council took place on 3 May 1977,[1] alongside elections to the councils of Scotland's various other districts. These were the second elections to the City of Glasgow District Council, and saw Labour losing their control of the council, losing nearly half of their councillors. Among the losing councillors was Dick Dynes, the Labour group leader. Dynes was replaced as leader by Jean McFadden.

While Labour still had the largest number of councillors, the party decided not to try retain power rejecting the possibility of coalition deals with either the Conservatives or the SNP. This paved the way for the Conservatives to form a minority administration, although they also refused to work with the SNP. The SNP group leader Frank Hannigan, reacted angrily to Labour's decision and called on their councillors to resign. He argued they had "ratted on their own voters" by handing power to the Conservatives who had won just 28% of the vote. This meant what would happen at the first meeting of the council was uncertain[2]

When the Council met on 9 May SNP abstentions meant that Labour's nominee David Hodge was elected Lord Provost of Glasgow over the Conservatives' Jack Richmond. As the Conservatives had said that they would only form an administration if their candidate was elected as Lord Provost, this caused an uncertain situation. Ultimately Richmond urged his colleagues to form an administration nonetheless and they eventually agreed to do this after an internal vote among the Conservative group. However it was noted in The Glasgow Herald that many of their policies, including the sale of council houses, were unlikely to be supported by the majority on the council.[3]

Ultimately the Conservative administration proved unstable and resigned in September 1979, paving the way for a minority Labour administration to take over.[4] In 1980 The Glasgow Herald claimed that the three years of political uncertainty since the 1977 election meant Glasgow District Council had "gained an unenviable reputation for chaos and outrageous behaviour among its members". It further branded the situation "the longest running comedy show in the city" with one notorious incident seeing a Conservative councillor hiding in a chimney-piece during a meeting to "confuse a vote".[5]

Aggregate results[edit]

1977 City of Glasgow District Council election[6][7]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 30 Decrease25 41.7 35.1 100,649 Decrease12.6
  Conservative 25 Increase8 34.7 28.7 82,113 Decrease0.1
  Scottish National 16 Increase16 22.2 32.7 93,695 Increase13.5
  Liberal 1 Increase1 1.4 1.9 5,439 Decrease0.3
  Communist 0 Steady0 0.0 1.6 4,206 Increase0.4
  SLP 0 Steady0 0.0 0.3 834 New
  Residents 0 Steady0 0.0 0.1 298 Decrease0.2
  Ind. Conservative 0 Steady0 0.0 0.1 173 New
  Scottish Socialist 0 Steady0 0.0 0.0 32 New

Ward results[edit]

Ward 1: Tollcross[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Helen McGregor (Incumbent) 1,764
Conservative W. Queen 1,607
Scottish National Margaret Brown 1,291
Liberal E. M. Bennett 132
Communist J. Smith 55
Majority 157
Turnout
Ward 2: Parkhead[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Susan Baird (Incumbent) 1,482
Scottish National M. Graham 1,093
Conservative Annette Bennett 970
Communist W. Kennedy 71
Majority 389
Turnout
Ward 3: Carntyne[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour H. Macrae (Incumbent) 1,993
Scottish National I. Cameron 1,277
Conservative G. Dixon 919
Majority 716
Turnout
Ward 4: Camlachie[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour A. McTaggart (Incumbent) 658
Scottish National A. Livingstone 519
Conservative J. McGlinchey 375
Reidvale, Bluevale, Whitevale, Barrowfield Residents J. Scroggie 289
Majority 139
Turnout
Ward 5: Easterhouse[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National Patricia Kennedy 1,879
Labour A. Viola 1,779
Conservative R. Smith 397
Communist G. Cleland 134
Majority 100
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 6: Garthamlock[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National E. Hendry 1,780
Labour Sarah Hattan 1,591
Conservative B. B. S. Clarke 698
Communist J. Jackson 209
Majority 189
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 7: Wellhouse[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour N. Stobo (Incumbent) 1,801
Scottish National Theresa Murray 1,183
Communist D. McGregor 127
Conservative Joyce Clarke 37
Majority 618
Turnout
Ward 8: Queenslie[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National Mary McGhee 1,667
Labour W. Fay (Incumbent) 1,568
Conservative T. Steven 479
Communist H. Holland 53
Majority 99
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 9: Riddrie[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative C. Gilbert 1,560
Scottish National Jean Hart 1,552
Labour W. Galloway (Incumbent) 1,455
Communist D. Ford 79
Majority 8
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 10: Lethamhill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour D. Mason (Incumbent) 1,290
Scottish National B. Masterton 917
Conservative R. Watson 260
Communist S. Jackson 52
Majority 373
Turnout
Ward 11: City[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour T. Ennis (Incumbent) 1,385
Scottish National J. Nugent 769
Majority 616
Turnout
Ward 12: Townhead[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour P. O'Rourke (Incumbent) 1,192
Scottish National J. Byrne 452
Conservative A. Alexander 226
Majority 740
Turnout
Ward 13: Calton[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. McQueenie (Incumbent) 969
Scottish National T. G. McLaughlin 604
Majority 365
Turnout
Ward 14: Dalmarnock[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Mullen (Incumbent) 1,163
Scottish National K. Taylor 874
Majority 289
Turnout
Ward 15: Balornock[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour M. J. Martin (Incumbent) 2,195
Scottish National J. Brown 1,443
Conservative Moyra M. Wilson 647
Majority 752
Turnout
Ward 16: Robroyston[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Chatham (Incumbent) 1,805
Scottish National W. Lindsay 1,623
Conservative G. B. Wilson 343
Majority 182
Turnout
Ward 17: Cowlairs[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour C. Moore (Incumbent) 533
Scottish National D. Shaw 470
Majority 63
Turnout
Ward 18: Petershill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Henderson (Incumbent) 1,437
Scottish National Janice Kerr 1,077
Majority 360
Turnout
Ward 19: Milnbank[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour W. L. Wightman (Incumbent) 1,426
Scottish National I. McIntosh 952
Conservative R. Bain 589
Communist I. Donnelly 66
Majority 474
Turnout
Ward 20: Dennistoun[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative R. McKay 1,898
Labour Elizabeth Crowson (Incumbent) 1,581
Scottish National J. F. McLaughlin 1,422
Majority 313
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 21: Summerston [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National S. M. Ewing 1,696
Labour R. Dynes (Incumbent) 1,637
Conservative B. Hayes 834
Liberal Diana Roberts 106
Communist Linda Clunie 85
Majority 59
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 22: Wyndford [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. Gray (Incumbent) 1,374
Scottish National D. G. Brown 1,324
Conservative M. White 554
Communist P. B. Smith 59
Majority 50
Turnout
Ward 23: Ruchill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour D. Hodge (Incumbent) 1,474
Scottish National A. Crawford 1,363
Conservative E. Ledgerwood 563
Communist M. Meers 52
Majority 111
Turnout
Ward 24: Milton[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Kernaghan (Incumbent) 1,708
Scottish National A. Sheer 1,630
Communist C. A. Macnicol 107
Majority 78
Turnout
Ward 25: Possilpark[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. Innes (Incumbent) 2,101
Scottish National D. Mackay 1,455
Communist D. Walsh 62
Majority 646
Turnout
Ward 26: Cowcaddens[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Jean A. McFadden (Incumbent) 2,276
Scottish National P. Hughes 1,088
Communist Fiona Harrison 83
Majority 1,188
Turnout
Ward 27: Botanic Gardens[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Mary Goldie (Incumbent) 999
Scottish National M. MacRury 477
Labour D. Crawford 467
Liberal M. Owens 163
Majority 522
Turnout
Ward 28: Park[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative A. T. Keter (Incumbent) 1,295
Labour T. Lenehan 828
Scottish National D. McBride 778
Majority 467
Turnout
Ward 29: Kelvin[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative G. Rennie 680
Labour J. F. Ross (Incumbent) 611
Scottish National C. Petrie 461
Ind. Conservative W. M. Hutcheson 173
Scottish Socialist M. K. Montgomery 32
Majority 69
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 30: Woodside[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Catherine Morris (Incumbent) 946
Labour C. Williams 828
Scottish National Margaret Spencer 418
Majority 281
Turnout
Ward 31: Partick East[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative D. Wood (Incumbent) 1,472
Scottish National C. Mackellar 1,084
Labour P. J. Gahagan 960
Communist W. S. McFall 104
Majority 388
Turnout
Ward 32: Anderston[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. McTaggart 1,232
Conservative A. Smith 931
Scottish National D. Duff 888
Communist R. Gilchrist 63
Majority 301
Turnout
Ward 33: Anniesland[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative W. Aitken (Incumbent) 2,931
Scottish National T. M. MacLeod 1,135
Labour Jean Smith 394
Liberal L. J. Clarke 352
Majority 1,796
Turnout
Ward 34: Kelvinside[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative R. N. S. Logan (Incumbent) 3,071
Scottish National J. Crawford 742
Labour D. Crozier 454
Liberal Elspeth Attwooll 375
Majority 2,329
Turnout
Ward 35: Scotstoun[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative S. Taylor 2,431
Labour W. Hattan (Incumbent) 2,358
Scottish National G. Borthwick 1,715
Majority 73
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 36: Partick West[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative A. Hodgins (Incumbent) 2,664
Scottish National C. Cassidy 1,609
Labour K. Murray 1,123
Majority 1,055
Turnout
Ward 37: Drumry [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National Marion Crawford 1,949
Labour Marion Catto (Incumbent) 1,561
Communist T. Matthews 92
Majority 388
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 38: Summerhill [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National J. O'Brien 1,955
Labour J. Gunn (Incumbent) 1,235
Communist J. C. McCarry 262
Majority 720
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 39: Blairdardie [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National J. C. Whyte 1,550
Conservative I. Lawson 1,448
Labour J. N. Canning (Incumbent) 1,209
Communist O. Bain 85
Majority 102
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 40: Knightscliffe [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National C. Darroch 1,776
Labour Constance Methven (Incumbent) 1,525
Conservative Marjory Montgomerie 1,013
Communist A. Lindsay 62
Majority 241
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 41: Yoker [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National D. McLean 2,077
Labour J. McLean (Incumbent) 1,764
Conservative B. D. Cooklin 830
Communist J. Moffat 107
Majority 313
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 42: Knightswood [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National J. Bain 1,642
Labour O. J. Davidson (Incumbent) 1,472
Conservative J. R. Howie 1,430
SLP C. Gordon 222
Communist D. Mackenzie 60
Majority 170
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 43: Gorbals[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Lavelle (Incumbent) 1,494
Scottish National T. P. McPhillips 1,198
Communist D. Elliot 99
Majority 296
Turnout
Ward 44: Hutchesontown[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National G. McAulay 1,106
Labour Catherine Cantley (Incumbent) 894
Conservative F. Phillips 466
Communist D. Mackenzie 292
Majority 212
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 45: Crosshill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative A. Green 1,953
Scottish National C. Campbell 1,630
Labour J. Barr 1,165
Communist K. Haldane 81
Majority 323
Turnout
Ward 46: Prospecthill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National W. McGuinness 2,272
Labour M. Moore 2,169
Communist D. Mackenzie 166
Majority 103
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 47: Drumoyne[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour H. M. McNeill (Incumbent) 1,725
Scottish National Brenda Carson 1,337
Conservative Christina Brotherston 893
Majority 388
Turnout
Ward 48: Fairfield[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. McDonald (Incumbent) 1,432
Scottish National C. McKenna 963
Communist D. McGeoch 45
Majority 469
Turnout
Ward 49: Ibrox[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour A. McMahon (Incumbent) 2,200
Scottish National R. P. Mottram 1,831
Conservative L. Connolly 958
Majority 369
Turnout
Ward 50: Kingston[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour B. A. Maan (Incumbent) 697
Scottish National A. Mitchell 327
SLP D. Deans 313
Conservative M. A. Hamid 137
Majority 370
Turnout
Ward 51: Hillington[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour M. Kelly 2,817
Conservative R. Anderson 2,182
Scottish National Sheila Watterson 1,920
Majority 635
Turnout
Ward 52: Bellahouston[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Christine R. Campbell 2,422
Labour N. Topping 1,560
Scottish National W. J. Reynolds 1,492
Majority 862
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 53: Cardonald[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative A. Mackenzie 2,186
Labour Jean Allan 1,327
Liberal M. Kibby 258
Scottish National D. McBain 110
Majority 759
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 54: Crookston[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour T. R. Hamilton (Incumbent) 2,360
Scottish National H. Broghan 1,686
Conservative Catherine M. Mair 870
Majority 674
Turnout
Ward 55: Pollokshields[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative I. J. A. Dyer (Incumbent) 3,583
Scottish National A. M. Martin 1,042
Labour F. Craig 796
Liberal G. McKell 232
Communist F. J. McCloskey 84
Majority 2,541
Turnout
Ward 56: Strathbungo[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Jean M. Hamilton 1,636
Scottish National Sheila McIntosh 1,130
Labour A. Irvine 734
Liberal R. McIntyre 120
Majority 506
Turnout
Ward 57: Camphill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative J. K. Richmond (Incumbent) 2,617
Scottish National C. N. Birnie 801
Labour Margaret Brown 569
Liberal G. Ross 121
Majority 1,816
Turnout
Ward 58: Pollokshaws[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Helen Hodgins 2,425
Labour J. F. Dunnachie (Incumbent) 2,116
Scottish National C. Graham 1,783
Liberal D. C. Anderson 134
Majority 309
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 59: Nitshill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour F. Duffy (Incumbent) 1,853
Scottish National A. McIntosh 1,684
Conservative Catherine Lyon 481
Communist T. Biggam 151
Liberal P. C. Togneri 36
Majority 205
Turnout
Ward 60: Darnley[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National F. Hannigan (Incumbent) 2,474
Labour A. Mutrie 1,599
Conservative Jenny E. F. Taylor 434
SLP J. Farrell 299
Communist A. Campbell 71
Majority 875
Turnout
Ward 61: Newlands[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative J. Young (Incumbent) 3,661
Scottish National N. Logan 653
Labour Rose McCloy 520
Majority 3,008
Turnout
Ward 62: Mount Florida[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative D. Mason (Incumbent) 2,350
Labour I. McNally 777
Scottish National Grace L. Logan 671
Liberal Moira Aitchison 123
Majority 1,573
Turnout
Ward 63: King's Park[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative M. Toshner (Incumbent) 2,461
Scottish National Heather Ewing 1,329
Labour M. J. Cunningham 558
Liberal A. Young 222
Majority 1,132
Turnout
Ward 64: Castlemilk[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour G. Manson (Incumbent) 1,575
Scottish National W. A. Steven 1,176
Conservative Philomena A. Leven 803
Communist Iris Macdonald 105
Majority 399
Turnout
Ward 65: Linn[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative L. Gourlay (Incumbent) 2,181
Labour R. Macdonald 1,151
Scottish National A. Ogg 1,078
Majority 1,030
Turnout
Ward 66: Cathkin[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National Brenda Johnson 1,179
Labour P. J. Lally (Incumbent) 1,147
Conservative A. Leven 625
Communist A. Hamilton 85
Majority 32
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 67: Rutherglen South[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal R. E. Brown 1,975
Scottish National Marie Bulloch 1,274
Free Thinking Democratic Conservative A. McCue 1,172
Labour J. R. Watson (Incumbent) 1,135
Majority 701
Turnout
Liberal gain from Labour
Ward 68: Rutherglen North[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National J. Bulloch 1,608
Conservative Christine MacInnes 1,564
Labour A. Moffat (Incumbent) 1,528
Liberal D. Nevin 272
Majority 44
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 69: Baillieston/Garrowhill[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative J. Reynolds (Incumbent) 2,099
Labour J. McGuigan 1,787
Scottish National W. Wright 1,690
Liberal Pauline Clarke 183
Majority 312
Turnout
Ward 70: Carmyle/Springboig[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Scottish National J. Campbell 1,631
Labour Ellen McCulloch 1,231
Conservative A. Percy 1,164
Liberal D. Turner 625
Majority 467
Turnout
Scottish National gain from Labour
Ward 71: Cambuslang East[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative A. R. James 2,679
Labour Helen McElhinney (Incumbent) 2,175
Scottish National Christine Latta 2,027
Majority 504
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour
Ward 72: Cambuslang West[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative J. Taylor (Incumbent) 2,666
Labour E. Johnson 2,063
Scottish National Adeline Murray 2,044
Majority 603
Turnout

References[edit]

  1. ^ "District Election Special". Glasgow Herald. 5 May 1977. p. 4.
  2. ^ MacCalman, John (6 May 1977). "Labour gives up power". The Glasgow Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  3. ^ MacCalman, John (10 May 1977). "Tories rule Glasgow - thanks to one man". The Glasgow Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  4. ^ MacCalman, John (14 September 1979). "Battle-weary Tories surrender Glasgow". The Glasgow Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  5. ^ MacCalman, John (30 April 1980). "Will sanity return to the marble halls?". The Glasgow Herald. p. 6. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  6. ^ J. M. Bochel; D. T. Denver. The Scottish District Elections 1977 (PDF). University of Dundee. pp. 57–62.
  7. ^ "Local Election Summaries 1977". Elections Centre.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt "Results". The Glasgow Herald. 4 May 1977. p. 8. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
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