Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
East Dunbartonshire was won by SNP at the 2019 general election, with a majority of 149 votes over Liberal Democrat. This page covers every general election in East Dunbartonshire from 1950 to 2019.
Full Election History, 1950–2019
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
David Kirkwood (Labour)
25,943
52.7%
William Stephen Ian Whitelaw (Unionist)
4,576 (9.3 pts)
86.0%
1951
Cyril Raymond Bence (Labour)
26,678
51.2%
William Stephen Ian Whitelaw (Unionist)
3,426 (6.6 pts)
86.8%
1955
Cyril Raymond Bence (Labour)
24,216
48.7%
Norman Macleod Glen (Unionist)
1,130 (2.3 pts)
81.6%
1959
Cyril Raymond Bence (Labour)
27,942
51.0%
David Colville Anderson (Unionist)
3,389 (6.2 pts)
84.2%
1964
Cyril Raymond Bence (Labour)
32,949
55.6%
T Warren Strachan (Unionist)
7,812 (13.2 pts)
82.5%
1966
Cyril Bence (Labour)
32,985
52.1%
Kenneth Miller (Conservative)
9,984 (15.8 pts)
80.6%
1970
Hugh McCartney (Labour)
32,527
44.6%
James Henderson (Conservative)
5,555 (7.6 pts)
77.8%
Feb 1974
James Henderson (Conservative)
19,092
36.7%
Edward Francis McGarry (Labour)
3,676 (7.1 pts)
85.0%
Oct 1974
Margaret Bain (SNP)
15,551
31.2%
James Henderson (Conservative)
22 (0.0 pts)
80.7%
1979
Norman Hogg (Labour)
23,268
37.9%
Michael Hirst (Conservative)
2,324 (3.8 pts)
83.9%
2005
Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat)
19,533
41.8%
John Lyons (Labour)
4,061 (8.7 pts)
72.1%
2010
Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat)
18,551
38.7%
Mary Galbraith (Labour)
2,184 (4.5 pts)
75.3%
2015
John Nicolson (SNP)
22,093
40.3%
Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat)
2,167 (4.0 pts)
82.0%
2017
Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat)
21,023
40.6%
John Nicolson (SNP)
5,339 (10.3 pts)
78.2%
2019
Amy Callaghan (SNP)
19,672
37.1%
Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat)
149 (0.3 pts)
80.4%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
David Kirkwood
Labour
25,943
52.7%
Yes
William Stephen Ian Whitelaw
Unionist
21,367
43.4%
No
Charles Forrester
Liberal
1,952
4.0%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Cyril Raymond Bence
Labour
26,678
51.2%
Yes
William Stephen Ian Whitelaw
Unionist
23,252
44.6%
No
Arnold Henderson
Communist
2,158
4.1%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Cyril Raymond Bence
Labour
24,216
48.7%
Yes
Norman Macleod Glen
Unionist
23,086
46.4%
No
Arnold E Henderson
Communist
2,448
4.9%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Cyril Raymond Bence
Labour
27,942
51.0%
Yes
David Colville Anderson
Unionist
24,553
44.9%
No
Arnold E Henderson
Communist
2,200
4.0%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Cyril Raymond Bence
Labour
32,949
55.6%
Yes
T Warren Strachan
Unionist
25,137
42.4%
No
James Reid
Communist
1,171
2.0%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Cyril Bence
Labour
32,985
52.1%
Yes
Kenneth Miller
Conservative
23,001
36.4%
No
William Johnston
SNP
5,715
9.0%
No
James Reid
Communist
1,548
2.4%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Hugh McCartney
Labour
32,527
44.6%
Yes
James Henderson
Conservative
26,972
37.0%
No
Gordon Murray
SNP
8,257
11.3%
No
James Brown
Liberal
3,460
4.7%
No
James Reid
Communist
1,656
2.3%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Henderson
Conservative
19,092
36.7%
Yes
Edward Francis McGarry
Labour
15,416
29.6%
No
Margaret Bain
SNP
11,635
22.3%
No
James Edward Cameron
Liberal
5,936
11.4%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Margaret Bain
SNP
15,551
31.2%
Yes
James Henderson
Conservative
15,529
31.2%
No
Edward Francis McGarry
Labour
15,122
30.3%
No
James Alan Thompson
Liberal
3,636
7.3%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman Hogg
Labour
23,268
37.9%
Yes
Michael Hirst
Conservative
20,944
34.1%
No
Margaret Bain
SNP
12,654
20.6%
No
Ronald Muir Waddell
Liberal
4,600
7.5%
No
2005
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Jo Swinson
Liberal Democrat
19,533
41.8%
Yes
John Lyons
Labour
15,472
33.1%
No
David Jack
Conservative
7,708
16.5%
No
Chris Sagan
SNP
2,716
5.8%
No
Stuart Callison
Green
876
1.9%
No
Pamela Page
Scottish Socialist
419
0.9%
No
2010
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Jo Swinson
Liberal Democrat
18,551
38.7%
Yes
Mary Galbraith
Labour
16,367
34.1%
No
Mark Nolan
Conservative
7,431
15.5%
No
Iain White
SNP
5,054
10.5%
No
James Beeley
UKIP
545
1.1%
No
2015
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Nicolson
SNP
22,093
40.3%
Yes
Jo Swinson
Liberal Democrat
19,926
36.3%
No
Amanjit Jhund
Labour
6,754
12.3%
No
Andrew Polson
Conservative
4,727
8.6%
No
Ross Greer
Green
804
1.5%
No
Wilfred Arasaratnam
UKIP
567
1.0%
No
2017
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Jo Swinson
Liberal Democrat
21,023
40.6%
Yes
John Nicolson
SNP
15,684
30.3%
No
Sheila Mechan
Conservative
7,563
14.6%
No
Callum McNally
Labour
7,531
14.5%
No
2019
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Amy Callaghan
SNP
19,672
37.1%
Yes
Jo Swinson
Liberal Democrat
19,523
36.8%
No
Pam Gosal
Conservative
7,455
14.1%
No
Callum McNally
Labour
4,839
9.1%
No
Carolynn Scrimgeour
Green
916
1.7%
No
Rosie Dickson
Independent
221
0.4%
No
Donald MacKay
UKIP
208
0.4%
No
Liam McKechnie
Scottish Family Party
197
0.4%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
East Dunbartonshire has been contested at 15 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour, Conservative, SNP, Liberal Democrat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won East Dunbartonshire in the 2019 general election?
SNP won East Dunbartonshire in 2019 with 19,672 votes (37.1%), a majority of 149 votes over Liberal Democrat in second place.
Which parties have won East Dunbartonshire since 1950?
Since 1950, East Dunbartonshire has been won by: Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, SNP.
What was the closest result in East Dunbartonshire?
The closest result on record for East Dunbartonshire was Oct 1974, when SNP beat Conservative by just 22 votes (0.0 percentage points).