Airdrie and Shotts
2005 Results:
Labour: 19568 (59%)
SNP: 5484 (16.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 3792 (11.4%)
Conservative: 3271 (9.9%)
Other: 1043 (3.1%)
Majority: 14084 (42.5%)
Boundary changes prior to 2005 electionEM631.
2001 Result
Conservative: 1960 (6.2%)
Labour: 18478 (58.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 2376 (7.5%)
SNP: 6138 (19.3%)
Other: 2784 (8.8%)
Majority: 12340 (38.9%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 3660 (8.9%)
Labour: 25460 (61.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 1719 (4.2%)
SNP: 10048 (24.4%)
Referendum: 294 (0.7%)
Majority: 15412 (37.4%)
No Boundary Changes:
Profile: A solid working class constituency to the East of Glasgow. Both Airdrie and Shotts are have suffered the effects of the decline of traditional industries such as steel. Religion remains a factor in local politics, Airdrie is mainly protestant while its neighbour, Coatbridge, is a largely Catholic. The 1994 by-election in Monklands East (the predecessor seat) following the death of Labour leader John Smith was dominated by accusations of sectarian bias by the (overwhelmingly Catholic) Labour group on Monklands council. The M8 runs through the centre of the constituency, dividing Airdrie to the North from Shotts and the surrounding villages to the South. The constituency includes HMP Shotts, one of the largest prisons in Scotland.
Outgoing MP: John Reid(Labour) born 1947. Educated at St Patrick`s High School and the University of Stirling. Holds a doctorate in Economic History. Married to a Brazilian film director. His first wife, with whom he had two sons, died in 1998. Reid is a former member of the Communist Party, a former hard drinker (now teetotal) and a former 60-a-day smoker, who opposed the total ban on smoking in favour of a partial ban, saying a ban would deprive poor people of one of their few pleasures. First elected in 1987, Reid has served as Secretary of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland (the first Catholic to do so), Party Chairman, Secretary of State for Health, Secretary of State for Defence and Home Secretary till 2007. Widely tipped as a possible leadership contender when Tony Blair stepped down, he eventually declined to run and stepped down from frontbench politics. He will retire at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates:
Ruth Whitfield (Conservative)
John Reid(Labour) born 1947. Educated at St Patrick`s High School and the University of Stirling. Holds a doctorate in Economic History. Married to a Brazilian film director. His first wife, with whom he had two sons, died in 1998. Reid is a former member of the Communist Party, a former hard drinker (now teetotal) and a former 60-a-day smoker, who opposed the total ban on smoking in favour of a partial ban, saying a ban would deprive poor people of one of their few pleasures. First elected in 1987, Reid has served as Secretary of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland (the first Catholic to do so), Party Chairman, Secretary of State for Health, Secretary of State for Defence and Home Secretary till 2007. Widely tipped as a possible leadership contender when Tony Blair stepped down, he eventually declined to run and stepped down from frontbench politics. He will retire at the next election (more information at They work for you)
John Love (Liberal Democrat)
Sophia Coyle (SNP)
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 83103
Male: 48.3%
Female: 51.7%
Under 18: 24.5%
Over 60: 18.8%
Born outside UK: 1.5%
White: 98.9%
Asian: 0.6%
Mixed: 0.2%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 77.5%
Full time students: 0%
Graduates 16-74: 10.8%
No Qualifications 16-74: 43.4%
Owner-Occupied: 55.6%
Social Housing: 38.7% (Council: 36.1%, Housing Ass.: 2.7%)
Privately Rented: 1.7%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 1.9%
Pamela Nash for Labour.
How young is she?
Replying to myself, she was 23 in 2008 (according to a Scottish Youth Parliament newsletter)
Ms Nash will have a long career as MP for this seat if selected.
That is, if the seat isn’t abolished one day or the electoral system isn’t altered – an idea which seems to be warming with Messrs Brown and Clegg.
Are there any political parties other than the Conservatives who want to retain first past the post?
Andrea reporting on Labour Home that Pamela Nash has been selected as Labour PPC here.
Message to Vote Dave… You may want to retain the FPTP, but did you realise that, acording to the calculator on this site, if my party gets a realistic 22%… your party would have to be 6% ahead of Labour just to have the same number of seats???
Anyway, its no matter.. Electoral reform needs to happen to be fair to the voters, the interests of the parties SHOULD be marginal
There are still some tensions in the Labour local party. The CLP chairman has resigned his position because he expected Ms Dick to win. Apparently Ms Nash won on second ballot*, thanks to postal votes.
An anonymous source is quoted saying the winner was the one who performed worst at the hustings (I guess he/she wasn’t one of her supporters!).
CLP Secretary: there is no prospect of anyone standing as an independent Labour candidate as a result of the row, this had been a manufactured media threat.
*considering they were just 3, it was also the final round.
Cal Merc story: http://politics.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/16/labour-in-new-candidate-selection-row/
Which seats have included Airdrie itself?
Pamela Nash for Airdrie – her youthfull enthusiasm and lack of cyncism will carry her far in this election
Lab Hold= 9,000 majority
LAB 9,400
Labour
SNP
Conservative
Libdem
Majority – 12000
Lab hold maj 11,000
Lab Hold
Maj 13 800