Renfrewshire South (Scottish Parliament constituency)

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Renfrewshire South
County constituency
for the Scottish Parliament
Renfrewshire South (Scottish Parliament constituency).svg
West Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region).svg
Renfrewshire South shown within the West Scotland electoral region and the region shown within Scotland
Population68,156 (2019) [1]
Current constituency
Created 2011
Party SNP
MSP Tom Arthur
Council area Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire

Renfrewshire South is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering parts of the council areas of Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It forms one of ten constituencies in the West Scotland electoral region, which also elects seven additional members to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Contents

The constituency was created for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election from parts of the former constituencies of West Renfrewshire, Paisley South and Paisley North constituencies. It also contains some areas of East Renfrewshire that were originally part of the Eastwood constituency. [2] The seat has been held by Tom Arthur of the Scottish National Party since the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.

It will be abolished for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election and replaced by the new Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley constituency. [3]

Electoral region

The other nine constituencies of the West Scotland region are: Clydebank and Milngavie, Cunninghame North, Cunninghame South, Dumbarton, Eastwood, Greenock and Inverclyde, Paisley, Renfrewshire North and West and Strathkelvin and Bearsden.

The region covers part of the Argyll and Bute council area, the East Dunbartonshire council area, the East Renfrewshire council area, the Inverclyde council area, North Ayrshire council area, the Renfrewshire council area and the West Dunbartonshire council area.

Constituency boundaries and council area

Renfrewshire South (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries from 2011

The Renfrewshire South constituency contains portions of both Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire and was formed from the following local electoral wards: [4]

The rest of Renfrewshire is covered by the Paisley and Renfrewshire North and West seats, whilst the rest of East Renfrewshire forms the Eastwood seat.

Constituency profile

Located in the West-Central Lowlands of Scotland, the constituency lies to the south of the town of Paisley and covers portions of the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas. It includes a number of small towns and villages that developed during the Industrial Revolution, when the chief industry was thread and cotton manufacture in factories powered by the Black Cart Water and small scale coal mining. [5]

The main population centres are the former burghs of Johnstone and Barrhead. The seat also covers the villages of Elderslie, Howwood, Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch, Neilston and Uplawmoor alongside numerous hamlets.

Member of the Scottish Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
2011 Hugh Henry Labour
2016 Tom Arthur SNP

Labour Party politician Hugh Henry won the seat upon its first use in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, having held its predecessor constituency of Paisley South since 1999. Henry retired from politics prior to the 2016 election, which also saw Tom Arthur gain the seat for the Scottish National Party. Arthur was subsequently re-elected in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Election results

2020s

2021 Scottish Parliament election: Renfrewshire South [6] [7]
PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
Votes%±%Votes%±%
SNP Tom Arthur [a] 17,53250.5Increase2.svg2.415,12743.3Decrease2.svg0.7
Labour Co-op Paul O'Kane [b] 10,42630.0Decrease2.svg3.28,34123.9Decrease2.svg3.8
Conservative Derek Stillie 5,14914.8Decrease2.svg1.26,34118.2Increase2.svg1.1
Green 2,4277.0Increase2.svg1.9
Liberal Democrats Christine Cosh8262.4Decrease2.svg 0.37932.3Increase2.svg0.3
Alba 5901.7New
All for Unity 2860.8New
Independent Green Voice 2230.6New
Scottish Family 1950.6New
Scotia Future Andy Doig7652.2New1270.4New
Freedom Alliance (UK)810.2New
Abolish the Scottish Parliament 650.2New
Reform UK 560.2New
UKIP 490.1Decrease2.svg1.8
Scottish Libertarian 450.1Steady2.svg0.0
TUSC 450.1New
Independent James Morrison240.1New
Independent Maurice Campbell120.0New
Renew 120.0New
Majority7,10620.5Increase2.svg 5.6
Valid Votes34,69834,839
Invalid Votes12371
Turnout 34,82165.7Increase2.svg 5.434,91065.9Increase2.svg 5.5
SNP hold Swing Increase2.svg 2.8
Notes
  1. Incumbent member for this constituency
  2. Elected on the party list

2010s

2016 Scottish Parliament election: Renfrewshire South [8]
PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
Votes%±%Votes%±%
SNP Tom Arthur 14,27248.1Increase2.svg9.613,10344.0Increase2.svg5.6
Labour Co-op Paul O'Kane 9,86433.2Decrease2.svg14.98,26127.7Decrease2.svg13.0
Conservative Ann Le Blond4,75216.0Increase2.svg5.25,10317.1Increase2.svg7.6
Green 1,5135.1Increase2.svg2.2
Liberal Democrats Tristan Gray7932.7Increase2.svg0.16062.0Increase2.svg0.1
UKIP 5771.9Increase2.svg1.2
Solidarity 3011.0Increase2.svg0.8
Scottish Christian 1820.6Decrease2.svg0.3
RISE 1130.4New
Scottish Libertarian 340.1New
Majority4,40814.9N/A
Valid Votes29,68129,793
Invalid Votes12949
Turnout 29,81060.3Increase2.svg6.529,84260.4Increase2.svg6.6
SNP gain from Labour Swing Decrease2.svg12.3
Notes
    2011 Scottish Parliament election: Renfrewshire South [9]
    PartyCandidateConstituencyRegional
    Votes%±%Votes%±%
    Labour Hugh Henry [a] 12,94348.1-2.910,96440.7N/A
    SNP Andy Doig10,35638.5+7.910,34638.4N/A
    Conservative Alistair Campbell2,91710.8-1.72,5469.5N/A
    Green 7812.9N/A
    Liberal Democrats Gordon Anderson7022.6-1.75071.9N/A
    All-Scotland Pensioners Party 4611.7N/A
    Socialist Labour 3841.4N/A
    Scottish Christian 2290.9N/A
    BNP 1950.7N/A
    UKIP 1820.7N/A
    Ban Bankers Bonuses1130.4N/A
    Pirate 930.3N/A
    Independent Richard Vassie470.2N/A
    Solidarity 440.2N/A
    Scottish Socialist 410.2N/A
    Majority2,5879.6-10.8
    Valid Votes26,90826,933
    Invalid Votes12486
    Turnout 27,03253.8N/A27,01953.8N/A
    Labour win (new seat)
    Notes
    1. Incumbent member on the party list, or for another constituency

    2000s: Notional Result

    The following is the notional result for the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, as calculated by the BBC. [2]

    2007 Scottish Parliament election Notional Result: Renfrewshire South
    PartyCandidateVotes%±%
    Labour 14,838 51.0 N/A
    SNP 8,90230.6N/A
    Conservative 3,64612.5N/A
    Liberal Democrats 1,2514.3N/A
    Others4591.6N/A
    Majority 5,93620.4N/A
    Labour hold Swing N/A

    References

    1. Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC) Population Estimates (2011 Data Zone based), National Records of Scotland; retrieved 6 May 2021 (accompanying summary notes)
    2. 1 2 "The New Scottish Parliament Constituencies 2011" (PDF). BBC News online. 8 September 2010. p. 26. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
    3. "Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries | Scottish Boundary Commission". boundaries.scot. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
    4. "First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries Final Report" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. May 2010. p. 128. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
    5. "Renfrewshire South - Scottish Parliament constituency - Election 2016 - BBC News" via www.bbc.co.uk.
    6. team, Renfrewshire Communications. "Scottish Parliamentary Election 2021". www1.renfrewshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
    7. Constituencies A-Z | Renfrewshire South, BBC News; retrieved 8 May 2021
    8. "2016 - Scottish Parliamentary Election - Results". Renfrewshire Council. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
    9. "2011 - Scottish Parliamentary Election - Results". Renfrewshire Council. Retrieved 26 May 2021.