The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. It was abolished for the 1983 general election, when it was partially replaced by the new Eastwood constituency. The East Renfrewshire constituency was re-established for the 2005 general election, with the same boundaries as the previous Eastwood constituency. Despite the change of name, it is the only constituency in mainland Scotland whose boundaries were unchanged by the 2005 revision of Scottish constituencies.
Boundaries and local government areas
As created in 1885 the constituency was one of four covering the area of the the county of Renfrewshire (except the burgh of Renfrew and the burgh of Port Glasgow, which were components of Kilmarnock Burghs until 1918). The four constituencies were: East Renfrewshire, West Renfrewshire, Paisley and Greenock. Greenock was enlarged and renamed Greenock and Port Glasgow in 1974. From 1885 the constituency consisted of the parishes of Eastwood, Cathcart, Mearns and Eaglesham, and part of the parish of Govan. From 1918 the constituency consisted of "The Upper County District, inclusive of all burghs situated therein, except the burghs of Paisley and Johnstone, together with so much of the burgh of Renfrew as is contained within the parish of Govan in the county of Lanark." The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, eight years after the creation of local governmentregions and districts in 1975. The new constitumecy, with revised bounbdaries, was called Eastwood. In 1996 the area of the Eastwood constituency became, also, the East Renfrewshire unitary council area. In 1999 a Scottish Parliament constituency was created with the name and boundaries of the Eastwood Westminster constituency. In the widespread redistribution of Scottish seats for the 2005 general election, the name of the Eastwood Westminster constituency was changed back to East Renfrewshire.
Population and politics
The constituency is on the borders of Glasgow, and is mostly middle-class residential territory for Glasgow. The area was looked on as safely Conservative before Labour gained the seat in 1997.
