Final confirmation has been received that the Eastwood constituency will be retained for next year’s Scottish Parliamentary Election.
Proposals from Boundaries Scotland emerged in May 2023 to break-up the long-standing Eastwood seat with Giffnock, Thornliebank, Netherlee, Clarkston and Busby to be transferred to Glasgow.
The Eastwood communities of Newton Mearns, Eaglesham and Waterfoot would have been merged in a constituency with localities including Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and Howwood.
The plans were subject to ongoing review and with a new proposal put forward in April 2024 for Eastwood to be retained but with the addition of Neilston to the seat.
The plans were then altered again, as it was proposed in September 2024 that Eastwood should now be retained in it’s existing geographical make-up, and for Neilston to remain in a constituency with the other Levern Valley areas of Barrhead and Uplawmoor.
Following various rounds of consultation on the composition of constituencies and regions for the next Holyrood election, Boundaries Scotland submitted it’s final recommendations to the Minister for Parliamentary Business at the end of April 2025.
An order giving effect to the final recommendations was then approved by the Scottish Parliament in October 2025.
Eastwood, all other constituencies and regions will be contested at the next Scottish Parliamentary Election on 7th May 2026.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Eastwood, Jackson Carlaw said:
“I was appalled when the plans to discontinue Eastwood first emerged and the proposed break-up of the long-standing constituency links between our local communities was a complete non-starter.
“There was huge opposition to the plans locally and large numbers of Eastwood residents made their views clear to Boundaries Scotland.
“I submitted a strongly worded objection letter to Boundaries Scotland and I spoke at a local inquiry hearing to set out why it was essential for Eastwood to be retained as a distinct constituency.
“It was a welcome relief when the plans to dismantle Eastwood were subsequently dropped and with Boundaries Scotland changing it’s position to recommend that the constituency should continue to exist.
“The approval of the order at the Scottish Parliament means the retention of Eastwood for next year’s election is now set in stone and no further changes will be made.
“For the time being at least, Eastwood has been saved.”
