Bothwell (UK Parliament constituency)
Bothwell was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system. It existed from 1885 to 1918, and again from 1983 to 1997.
Creation and History (1885-1918):
The Bothwell constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, carved out of the existing Lanarkshire constituency. It covered a large, predominantly mining area of central Lanarkshire. Due to its large working-class population, it was a consistently strong Labour seat.
Abolition (1918):
In 1918, as part of a wider redistribution of seats, the Bothwell constituency was abolished. Its territory was largely absorbed into the new Motherwell constituency.
Recreation and History (1983-1997):
The constituency was re-established in 1983, following boundary changes that reflected population shifts. While geographically similar to the original constituency, the redrawn boundaries also incorporated some new areas. It remained a Labour-held seat during its second iteration, albeit sometimes with reduced majorities compared to its pre-1918 incarnation.
Abolition (1997):
The Bothwell constituency was abolished again in 1997, as part of the boundary changes implemented for that year's general election. Its territory was largely redistributed into the Hamilton South and Airdrie and Shotts constituencies.
Members of Parliament:
- 1885-1894: James Baird (Conservative)
- 1894-1900: James Caldwell (Liberal)
- 1900-1906: Joseph Wilson (Liberal Unionist)
- 1906-1918: John Robertson (Labour)
- 1983-1997: James (Jimmy) Hood (Labour)
Electoral Performance:
The constituency, in both its iterations, was characterized by strong support for the Labour Party. However, factors such as boundary changes and national political trends did influence the size of Labour's majorities. The rise of the Scottish National Party also presented a challenge to Labour's dominance in the latter years of the recreated constituency.