1949 Glasgow Corporation election

The 1949 Glasgow Corporation elections were held on Tuesday 3 May 1949. The election was held against a wider backdrop of Labour losses across the country, however Labour managed to maintain an overall majority of elected members. The Labour group did see a particularly high-profile loss when the Labour group leader Andrew Hood, the councillor for Provan, lost his seat. The new council was composed entirely of Labour and Progressive members, with all smaller parties having lost their representation.

Whilst the Labour party had won a majority of elected members, the corporation also featured two ex-officio members: the Dean of Guild (Lord Inverclyde) and the Deacon-Convenor. Whilst not party affiliated, these members had traditionally voted with the Progressives. As a result, following the election the Progressives John Donald Kelly took over as council leader; the first Progressive council leader since 1933, when Labour had taken control.

Election result

Glasgow Corporation election, 1949

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour	56
	Progressives	55

Wards

Anderston

Anderston (3)
Electorate: 24,815

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Johnston*	6,338	63.65
	Labour	Mrs Mary McAlister*	6,223
	Labour	John S. Ratcliffe*	5,578
	Progressives	John F. Gowdie	4681	32.70
	Progressives	David Miller	4638
	Communist	Robert McIlhone	1040	3.65
Majority			897
Turnout			28,498 (9,499)	38.28
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Calton

Calton (3)
Electorate: 21,038

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs Helen E. Gault*	4,685
	Labour	Joseph McKell*	4,438
	Labour	Thomas G. McLure*	4,437
	Progressives	Andrew Shearer	2,679
	Ind. Labour Party	Francis Kane	555
	Independent	Patrick Farrell	488
	Ind. Labour Party	Charles Hayman	450
	Ind. Labour Party	B. Lavin	354
Turnout				35.89

Cathcart

Cathcart (3)
Electorate: 17,591

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressives	Thomas R. Patterson*	8,275
	Progressives	Andrew Donald*	8,271
	Labour	William G. Reid*	8,076
	Labour	James H. Dollan	2097
Turnout				59.35

Provan

Provan (3)
Electorate: 15,759

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressives	Alexander Fraser*	4,718
	Progressives	Albert Douglas	4,581
	Labour	David S. Brown*	4,544
	Labour	Andrew Hood* (Labour leader)	4516
	Progressives	Robert Hodgins	4468
	Labour	Robert C. Smith*	4397
Majority
Turnout				59.36
	Progressives hold		Swing
	Progressives gain from Labour		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Shettleston

Shettleston (3)
Electorate: 28,165

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Myer Galpern	6,597
	Labour	Robert McAllister	6,481
	Labour	Thomas B. Duncan	5,598
	Progressives	James McC. Fergusson	5521
	Progressives	William W. Smith	5389
	Progressives	John J. Macdougall	5175
	Ind. Labour Party	David W. Gibson	3576
	Ind. Labour Party	Cecil Gould	1561
	Ind. Labour Party	Harold I. Maclean	1561
	Communist	Thomas McLaren	973
Turnout				52.97