# Glasgow Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Glasgow Central was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 2024. A Glasgow Central constituency existed from 1885 until its abolition in 1997. Prior to the 2005 general election, boundary changes led to a new constituency named Glasgow Central being introduced. The constituency was abolished again prior to the 2024 general election. Prior to its abolition, the seat was held by Alison Thewliss of the Scottish National Party (SNP). The first iteration of this constituency was the seat of the former Conservative Prime Minister Bonar Law, who was the shortest-serving UK Prime Minister of the twentieth century.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Municipal Wards.
1918–1950: "That portion of the city which is bounded by a line commencing at a point at the intersection of the centre lines of Parliamentary Road and Castle Street, thence southward along the centre line of Castle Street to the centre line of Alexandra Parade, thence eastward along the centre line of Alexandra Parade to the centre line of Firpark Street, thence southward along the centre line of Firpark Street and Ark Lane to the centre line of Duke Street, thence westward along the centre line of Duke Street to the centre line of Sydney Street, thence southward along the centre line of Sydney Street to the centre line of Gallowgate, thence westward along the centre line of Gallowgate to the centre line of Saltmarket, thence southward along the centre line of Saltmarket and Albert Bridge to the centre line of the River Clyde, thence westward along the centre line of the River Clyde to a point in line with the centre line of McAlpine Street, thence northward along the centre line of McAlpine Street, Pitt Street and Scott Street to the centre line of New City Road, thence south-eastward along the centre line of New City Road and Cowcaddens to the centre line of Buchanan Street, thence southward along the centre line of Buchanan Street to the centre line of Parliamentary Road, thence north-eastward along the centre line of Parliamentary Road to the point of commencement."
1950–1975: The Exchange and Townhead wards of the county of the city of Glasgow.
1955–1974: The Cowcaddens and Townhead wards of the county of the city of Glasgow, and part of Exchange ward.
1974–1983: The County of the City of Glasgow wards of Calton, Dalmarnock, Exchange, and Townhead.
1983–1997: The City of Glasgow District electoral divisions of Central/Calton, Kingston/Hutchesontown, and Queen's Park/Crosshill.
2005–2024: Under the Fifth Review of UK Parliament constituencies which came into effect for the 2005 general election, the boundaries were defined in accordance with the ward structure in place on 30 November 2004 as containing the Glasgow City Council wards of Anderston, Bridgeton/Dalmarnock, Calton, Govanhill, Hutchesontown, Kelvingrove, Kingston, Merchant City, Pollokshields East, Strathbungo, and Toryglen.
From 2005, Glasgow Central was one of seven constituencies covering the Glasgow City council area, all entirely within the council area. Prior to the 2005 general election, the city area was covered by ten constituencies, of which two straddled boundaries with other council areas.
The Central constituency, as defined in 2005, included parts of the former Glasgow Govan, Glasgow Kelvin, Glasgow Shettleston, Glasgow Pollok and Glasgow Rutherglen constituencies. Scottish Parliament constituencies for the area are predominantly Glasgow Southside on the South of the river and Glasgow Kelvin on the North of the river, with Calton, Bridgeton and Dalmarnock areas of Glasgow Shettleston as well as a single polling place each from Glasgow Cathcart and Glasgow Provan.
The Central constituency sat across the River Clyde, and included the areas of Kelvingrove, Anderston, Merchant City, Calton, Bridgeton, Kingston, Gorbals, Govanhill and part of Pollokshields .
Further to reviews of local government ward boundaries which came into effect in 2007 and 2017, but did not affect the parliamentary boundaries, the constituency comprised the City of Glasgow Council wards or part wards of: Govan (minority), Pollokshields (minority), Langside (small part), Southside Central (nearly all), Calton (majority), Anderston/City/Yorkhill (all), and Hillhead (very small part).
On abolition for the 2024 general election, the contents of the seat were distributed as follows:
* Glasgow East (44.6% of population) – districts of Merchant City, Calton, Bridgeton and Dalmarnock to the north of the River Clyde and Gorbals, Govanhill and Hutchesontown on the south side.
* Glasgow North (24.5%) – City centre, Anderston and Kelvingrove.
* Glasgow South West (17.8%) – Kingston, Tradeston, Kinning Park, Dumbreck and parts in Pollokshields.
* Glasgow South (9.3%) – Toryglen and small area to the north of Queen's Park.
* Glasgow North East (3.8%) - small area around Townhead.

## Constituency profile

This former constituency took in Glasgow city centre to the north, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the main railway stations, Glasgow Cathedral and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. It was home to both Strathclyde and Caledonian Universities, as well as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and still often referred to locally as RSAMD) and the Glasgow School of Art. It was home to a significant number of students attending the University of Glasgow, which is just over the boundary in Glasgow North. The large student population was an important factor in elections, and the presence of four degree-awarding institutions as well as a significant portion of the student body of a fifth has led to claims that it was the best-educated constituency in the United Kingdom. The Merchant City was also here, yuppie housing built out of the disused cotton and tobacco warehouses. This area is a symbol of the rebirth of the city.
At the heart of this former constituency is the River Clyde, marking the boundaries of Glasgow Central from the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Oatlands in the east of the constituency, to Glasgow Science Centre and Glasgow's Riverside Museum to the west. There are some deprived areas within the former seat itself it is mostly an affluent area.
Glasgow Central was estimated to have voted to Remain in the European Union by 66.6% in the 2016 referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Gilbert Beith | Liberal |
| | 1886 | John George Alexander Baird | Conservative |
| | 1906 | Andrew Mitchell Torrance | Liberal |
| | 1909 by-election | Charles Dickson | Conservative |
| | 1915 by-election | John McLeod | Conservative |
| | 1918 | Andrew Bonar Law | Unionist |
| | 1923 | William Alexander | Unionist |
| | 1945 | James Hutchison | Unionist |
| | 1950 | James McInnes | Labour |
| | 1966 | Thomas McLellan McMillan | Labour |
| | 1980 by-election | Bob McTaggart | Labour |
| | 1989 by-election | Mike Watson | Labour |
| 1997 | 1997 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |
| | 2005 | Mohammad Sarwar | Labour |
| | 2010 | Anas Sarwar | Labour |
| | 2015 | Alison Thewliss | SNP |

## Election results
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Alison Thewliss | 19,750 | 49.2 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Faten Hameed | 13,276 | 33.1 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | Flora Scarabello | 3,698 | 9.2 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ewan Hoyle | 1,952 | 4.9 | +2.0 |
| | Scottish Green | Elaine Gallagher | 1,429 | 3.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,474 | 16.1 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,105 | 57.9 | +2.0 |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | +4.9 | |
Flora Scarabello was suspended by the Scottish Conservatives after alleged Islamophobia. Because nominations had closed at the time of her suspension, she still appeared on the ballot paper as the Conservative candidate.
General election 2017: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Alison Thewliss | 16,096 | 44.7 | −7.8 |
| | Labour | Faten Hameed | 13,829 | 38.4 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Fairbanks | 5,014 | 13.9 | +7.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Isabel Nelson | 1,045 | 2.9 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,267 | 6.3 | −13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,984 | 55.9 | +0.5 |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | -6.6 | |
General election 2015: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Alison Thewliss | 20,658 | 52.5 | +35.0 |
| | Labour | Anas Sarwar | 12,996 | 33.1 | −18.9 |
| | Conservative | Simon Bone | 2,359 | 6.0 | −1.1 |
| | Scottish Green | Cass Macgregor | 1,559 | 4.0 | +1.4 |
| | UKIP | Stuart Maskell | 786 | 2.0 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Young | 612 | 1.6 | −14.8 |
| | CISTA | James Marris | 171 | 0.4 | New |
| | TUSC | Andrew Elliott | 119 | 0.3 | New |
| | Socialist Equality | Katie Rhodes | 58 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,662 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,318 | 55.4 | +4.5 |
| | SNP gain from Labour | SNP gain from Labour | Swing | +27.0 | |
General election 2010: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anas Sarwar | 15,908 | 52.0 | +3.8 |
| | SNP | Osama Saeed | 5,357 | 17.5 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Young | 5,010 | 16.4 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative | John Bradley | 2,158 | 7.1 | +0.8 |
| | Scottish Green | Alastair Whitelaw | 800 | 2.6 | −2.3 |
| | BNP | Ian Holt | 616 | 2.0 | −0.4 |
| | Scottish Socialist | James Nesbitt | 357 | 1.2 | −2.8 |
| | UKIP | Ramsay Urquhart | 246 | 0.8 | New |
| | Pirate | Finlay Archibald | 128 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,551 | 34.5 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,580 | 50.9 | +7.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mohammad Sarwar | 13,518 | 48.2 | −6.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Isabel Nelson | 4,987 | 17.8 | +8.2 |
| | SNP | Bill Kidd | 4,148 | 14.8 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Richard Sullivan | 1,757 | 6.3 | +0.1 |
| | Scottish Green | Gordon Masterton | 1,372 | 4.9 | New |
| | Scottish Socialist | Marie Gordon | 1,110 | 4.0 | −2.5 |
| | BNP | Walter Hamilton | 671 | 2.4 | New |
| | Socialist Labour | Ian Johnson | 255 | 0.9 | +0.5 |
| | Christian Vote | Thomas Greig | 139 | 0.5 | New |
| | Communist | Elinor McKenzie | 80 | 0.3 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,531 | 30.4 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,037 | 43.8 | +4.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −7.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike Watson | 17,341 | 57.2 | −7.3 |
| | SNP | Brendan O'Hara | 6,322 | 20.8 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | Ewen N. Stewart | 4,208 | 13.9 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Rennie | 1,921 | 6.3 | −4.2 |
| | Scottish Green | Irene F. Brandt | 435 | 1.4 | +0.5 |
| | Communist (PCC) | Tam Dean Burn | 106 | 0.4 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,019 | 36.4 | −15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,333 | 63.1 | −2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −9.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

By-election 1989: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike Watson | 14,480 | 54.6 | −9.9 |
| | SNP | Alex Neil | 8,018 | 30.2 | +20.2 |
| | Conservative | Allan Hogarth | 2,028 | 7.6 | −5.4 |
| | Green | Irene F. Brandt | 1,019 | 3.8 | +2.9 |
| | SLD | Robert McCreadie | 411 | 1.5 | −9.0 |
| | SDP | Peter Kerr | 253 | 1.0 | New |
| | Revolutionary Communist | Linda Murdoch | 141 | 0.5 | New |
| | Scottish Socialist | Bill Kidd | 137 | 0.5 | New |
| | Workers Revolutionary | David Lettice | 48 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,462 | 24.4 | −27.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,535 | 52.9 | −12.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bob McTaggart | 21,619 | 64.5 | +11.5 |
| | Conservative | Bernard Jenkin | 4,366 | 13.0 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal | John Bryden | 3,528 | 10.5 | −6.2 |
| | SNP | Alexander Wilson | 3,339 | 10.0 | −0.3 |
| | Green | Andrew Brooks | 290 | 0.9 | New |
| | Communist | John McGoldrick | 265 | 0.8 | −0.3 |
| | Red Front | Derek Owen | 126 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,253 | 51.5 | +17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,533 | 65.6 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bob McTaggart | 17,066 | 53.0 | −21.5 |
| | Conservative | William Harvey | 6,104 | 19.0 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal | Isabel Nelson | 5,366 | 16.7 | N/A |
| | SNP | Peter Mallan | 3,300 | 10.3 | −0.8 |
| | Communist | John McGoldrick | 347 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,962 | 34.0 | −21.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,183 | 62.8 | +3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
1980 Glasgow Central by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bob McTaggart | 4,902 | 60.8 | −11.7 |
| | SNP | Gil Paterson | 2,122 | 26.3 | +15.2 |
| | Conservative | Anna McCurley | 707 | 8.8 | −7.6 |
| | National Front | John MacKenzie | 148 | 1.8 | New |
| | Scottish Young Liberal | Graham Watson | 134 | 1.7 | New |
| | Ecology | David Mellor | 45 | 0.6 | New |
| | Social Democrat (1979) | Donald Kean | 10 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,780 | 34.5 | −21.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,062 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas McLellan McMillan | 8,542 | 72.5 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | Farooq Ahmed Saleem | 1,937 | 16.4 | +3.4 |
| | SNP | Stephen Graham Bird | 1,308 | 11.1 | −8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,605 | 56.1 | +11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,787 | 59.5 | −1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.7 | |
General election October 1974: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas McLellan McMillan | 9,231 | 63.6 | +4.9 |
| | SNP | Brian Nugent | 2,790 | 19.2 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative | Norman Woolfson | 1,880 | 13.0 | −7.4 |
| | Liberal | Eric Matthew Bennett | 605 | 4.2 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,441 | 44.4 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,506 | 56.9 | −6.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | –0.2 | |
General election February 1974: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas McLellan McMillan | 9,400 | 58.7 | −7.3 |
| | Conservative | M. Gourlay | 3,435 | 21.4 | +1.5 |
| | SNP | Stewart Martin Ewing | 2,211 | 13.8 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Paton Brodie | 982 | 6.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,965 | 37.2 | −8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,028 | 63.0 | +3.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | –4.4 | |
General election 1970: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas McLellan McMillan | 7,936 | 66.0 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Rennie | 2,394 | 19.9 | −5.3 |
| | SNP | Angus Mclntosh | 1,688 | 14.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,542 | 46.1 | −3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,018 | 59.2 | +0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | –1.7 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas McLellan McMillan | 11,673 | 74.8 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | Ronald B Anderson | 3,924 | 25.2 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,749 | 49.6 | +9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,597 | 58.7 | −3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.7 | |
General election 1964: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James McInnes | 13,343 | 70.2 | +5.6 |
| | Unionist | George F Boyd | 5,679 | 29.9 | −5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,664 | 40.3 | +11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,022 | 62.4 | −5.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.5 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James McInnes | 15,918 | 64.6 | +2.8 |
| | Unionist | Iain David Barber-Fleming | 8,712 | 35.4 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,206 | 29.2 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,630 | 67.4 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James McInnes | 16,674 | 61.8 | +3.6 |
| | Unionist | Iain David Barber-Fleming | 10,307 | 38.2 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,367 | 23.6 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,981 | 62.7 | −11.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James McInnes | 15,757 | 58.2 | +3.6 |
| | Unionist | William Sinclair | 10,875 | 40.2 | −3.4 |
| | United Socialist Movement | Guy Aldred | 411 | 1.5 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,882 | 18.0 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,043 | 74.3 | +0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James McInnes | 14,861 | 54.6 | +14.7 |
| | Unionist | James Hutchison | 11,857 | 43.6 | −0.4 |
| | United Socialist Movement | Guy Aldred | 485 | 1.8 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,004 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,203 | 73.6 | +13.9 |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Hutchison | 9,365 | 44.0 | −11.9 |
| | Labour | James McInnes | 7,849 | 36.9 | −7.2 |
| | Communist | Robert Cooney | 2,709 | 12.7 | New |
| | Liberal | Norman Macleod Glen | 1,072 | 5.0 | New |
| | United Socialist Movement | Guy Aldred | 300 | 1.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,516 | 7.1 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,295 | 59.7 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Alexander | 16,707 | 55.9 | −9.4 |
| | Labour | Richard Stokes | 13,186 | 44.1 | +9.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,521 | 11.8 | −18.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,893 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Alexander | 21,547 | 65.3 | +14.4 |
| | Labour | William Martin | 11,456 | 34.7 | −14.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,091 | 30.6 | +28.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,003 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Alexander | 18,336 | 50.9 | −8.2 |
| | Labour | Craigie Aitchison | 17,663 | 49.1 | +8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 673 | 1.8 | −16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,999 | 72.0 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,983 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −8.2 | |
General election 1924: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Alexander | 18,258 | 59.1 | +13.3 |
| | Labour | J. D. White | 12,617 | 40.9 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,641 | 18.2 | +16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,875 | 70.2 | +2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 44,010 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +8.4 | |
General election 1923: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Alexander | 13,392 | 45.8 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | Edward Mitchell | 12,976 | 44.4 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal | Harold Tennant | 2,870 | 9.8 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 416 | 1.4 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,238 | 67.5 | −3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 43,292 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −3.3 | |
General election 1922: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Bonar Law | 15,437 | 49.9 | −28.9 |
| | Labour | Edward Mitchell | 12,923 | 41.9 | +20.7 |
| | Liberal | George Paish | 2,518 | 8.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,514 | 8.0 | −49.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,878 | 71.2 | +18.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 43,351 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −24.8 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Bonar Law | 17,653 | 78.8 | +25.0 |
| | Independent Labour | David John Mitchel Quin | 4,736 | 21.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,917 | 57.6 | +50.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,389 | 52.9 | −23.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,329 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
By-election 15 July 1915: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | John MacLeod | 5,341 | 95.3 | +41.5 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Gavin William Ralston | 266 | 4.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,075 | 90.6 | +83.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,607 | 31.8 | −54.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,610 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election December 1910: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dickson | 6,888 | 53.8 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Murison | 5,907 | 46.2 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 981 | 7.6 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,795 | 86.4 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.2 | |
General election January 1910: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dickson | 6,713 | 52.6 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Murison | 6,058 | 47.4 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 655 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,771 | 86.5 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,768 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.3 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1909 Glasgow Central by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dickson | 7,298 | 58.5 | +10.2 |
| | Liberal | Tommy Bowles | 5,185 | 41.5 | −10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,113 | 17.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,483 | 82.8 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,081 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +10.2 | |
General election January 1906: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Andrew Mitchell Torrance | 6,720 | 51.7 | New |
| | Conservative | John George Alexander Baird | 6,289 | 48.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 431 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,009 | 83.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,616 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1900: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John George Alexander Baird | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John George Alexander Baird | 5,621 | 59.7 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal | Edwin Adam | 3,792 | 40.3 | −5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,829 | 19.4 | +11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,413 | 62.3 | −15.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,107 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.8 | |
General election 1892: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John George Alexander Baird | 6,121 | 53.9 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal | Walter Menzies | 5,245 | 46.1 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 876 | 7.8 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,366 | 78.2 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,542 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.8 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John George Alexander Baird | 5,780 | 56.7 | +11.7 |
| | Liberal | Gilbert Beith | 4,423 | 43.3 | −11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,357 | 13.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,203 | 77.2 | −3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,208 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.7 | |
General election 1885: Glasgow Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Gilbert Beith | 5,846 | 55.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | John George Alexander Baird | 4,779 | 45.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,067 | 10.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,625 | 80.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,208 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |