Coatbridge and Airdrie — UK General Election Results
Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Coatbridge and Airdrie was won by Labour at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 15,156 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Coatbridge and Airdrie from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
Jean Mann (Labour)
23,339
56.8%
James McMillan (Unionist)
6,787 (16.5 pts)
86.1%
1951
Jean Mann (Labour)
24,159
57.4%
James McMillan (Unionist)
6,207 (14.7 pts)
85.5%
1955
Jean Mann (Labour)
22,269
55.8%
David Coville Anderson (Unionist)
4,664 (11.7 pts)
79.4%
1959
James Dempsey (Labour)
22,747
50.9%
Catherine S Morton (Unionist)
794 (1.8 pts)
84.0%
1964
James Dempsey (Labour)
27,178
62.1%
Andrew Thomson (Unionist)
10,598 (24.2 pts)
81.2%
1966
James Dempsey (Labour)
26,491
64.2%
William Crawford Raeburn (Conservative)
11,714 (28.4 pts)
77.2%
1970
James Dempsey (Labour)
26,117
58.9%
William James Rennie (Conservative)
10,543 (23.8 pts)
76.5%
Feb 1974
James Dempsey (Labour)
24,945
54.1%
Christine Margarate Anderson (Conservative)
11,783 (25.6 pts)
77.8%
Oct 1974
James Dempsey (Labour)
23,034
51.6%
David Russell Martin Hill (SNP)
10,568 (23.7 pts)
74.5%
1979
James Dempsey (Labour)
27,598
63.2%
John Love (Conservative)
15,156 (34.7 pts)
75.3%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Jean Mann
Labour
23,339
56.8%
Yes
James McMillan
Unionist
16,552
40.3%
No
Thomas Peter O'Callaghan
Anti-Partition
1,315
3.2%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Jean Mann
Labour
24,159
57.4%
Yes
James McMillan
Unionist
17,952
42.6%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Jean Mann
Labour
22,269
55.8%
Yes
David Coville Anderson
Unionist
17,605
44.2%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
22,747
50.9%
Yes
Catherine S Morton
Unionist
21,953
49.1%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
27,178
62.1%
Yes
Andrew Thomson
Unionist
16,580
37.9%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
26,491
64.2%
Yes
William Crawford Raeburn
Conservative
14,777
35.8%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
26,117
58.9%
Yes
William James Rennie
Conservative
15,574
35.1%
No
Wolseley Brown
SNP
2,667
6.0%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
24,945
54.1%
Yes
Christine Margarate Anderson
Conservative
13,162
28.6%
No
David Russell Martin Hill
SNP
7,961
17.3%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
23,034
51.6%
Yes
David Russell Martin Hill
SNP
12,466
27.9%
No
John Love
Conservative
7,683
17.2%
No
Alexander Smith
Liberal
1,446
3.2%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Dempsey
Labour
27,598
63.2%
Yes
John Love
Conservative
12,442
28.5%
No
Mary Johnston
SNP
5,260
12.0%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Coatbridge and Airdrie has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Coatbridge and Airdrie in the 1979 general election?
Labour won Coatbridge and Airdrie in 1979 with 27,598 votes (63.2%), a majority of 15,156 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Coatbridge and Airdrie since 1950?
Since 1950, Coatbridge and Airdrie has been won by: Labour.
What was the closest result in Coatbridge and Airdrie?
The closest result on record for Coatbridge and Airdrie was 1959, when Labour beat Unionist by just 794 votes (1.8 percentage points).