The 1949 Glasgow Corporation elections were held on Tuesday 3 May 1949. The election was held against a wider backdrop of Labour losses across the country, however Labour managed to maintain an overall majority of elected members. The Labour group did see a particularly high-profile loss when the Labour group leader Andrew Hood, the councillor for Provan, lost his seat. The new council was composed entirely of Labour and Progressive members, with all smaller parties having lost their representation.[1]
Whilst the Labour party had won a majority of elected members, the corporation also featured two ex-officio members: the Dean of Guild (Lord Inverclyde) and the Deacon-Convenor. Whilst not party affiliated, these members had traditionally voted with the Progressives.[1] As a result, following the election the Progressives John Donald Kelly took over as council leader; the first Progressive council leader since 1933, when Labour had taken control.
Election result
edit| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 56 | ||||||||
| Progressives | 55 | ||||||||
Wards
editAnderston
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Neil Johnston* | 6,338 | 63.65 | ||
| Labour | Mrs Mary McAlister* | 6,223 | |||
| Labour | John S. Ratcliffe* | 5,578 | |||
| Progressives | John F. Gowdie | 4681 | 32.70 | ||
| Progressives | David Miller | 4638 | |||
| Communist | Robert McIlhone | 1040 | 3.65 | ||
| Majority | 897 | ||||
| Turnout | 28,498 (9,499) | 38.28 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Calton
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Mrs Helen E. Gault* | 4,685 | |||
| Labour | Joseph McKell* | 4,438 | |||
| Labour | Thomas G. McLure* | 4,437 | |||
| Progressives | Andrew Shearer | 2,679 | |||
| Ind. Labour Party | Francis Kane | 555 | |||
| Independent | Patrick Farrell | 488 | |||
| Ind. Labour Party | Charles Hayman | 450 | |||
| Ind. Labour Party | B. Lavin | 354 | |||
| Turnout | 35.89 | ||||
Camphill
editCathcart
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressives | Thomas R. Patterson* | 8,275 | |||
| Progressives | Andrew Donald* | 8,271 | |||
| Labour | William G. Reid* | 8,076 | |||
| Labour | James H. Dollan | 2097 | |||
| Turnout | 59.35 | ||||
Cowcaddens
editCowlairs
editCraigton
editDalmarnock
editDennistoun
editExchange
editFairfield
editGorbals
editGovanhill
editHutchesontown
editKelvinside
editKingston
editKinning Park
editKnightswood
editLangside
editMaryhill
editMile-end
editNorth Kelvin
editPark
editParkhead
editPartick East
editPatrick West
editPollockshaws
editProvan
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressives | Alexander Fraser* | 4,718 | |||
| Progressives | Albert Douglas | 4,581 | |||
| Labour | David S. Brown* | 4,544 | |||
| Labour | Andrew Hood* (Labour leader) | 4516 | |||
| Progressives | Robert Hodgins | 4468 | |||
| Labour | Robert C. Smith* | 4397 | |||
| Majority | |||||
| Turnout | 59.36 | ||||
| Progressives hold | Swing | ||||
| Progressives gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Ruchill
editShettleston
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Myer Galpern | 6,597 | |||
| Labour | Robert McAllister | 6,481 | |||
| Labour | Thomas B. Duncan | 5,598 | |||
| Progressives | James McC. Fergusson | 5521 | |||
| Progressives | William W. Smith | 5389 | |||
| Progressives | John J. Macdougall | 5175 | |||
| Ind. Labour Party | David W. Gibson | 3576 | |||
| Ind. Labour Party | Cecil Gould | 1561 | |||
| Ind. Labour Party | Harold I. Maclean | 1561 | |||
| Communist | Thomas McLaren | 973 | |||
| Turnout | 52.97 | ||||