Elections to the Corporation of the City of Glasgow
Elections to the Corporation of the City of Glasgow were held on Tuesday 3 November 1896, alongside municipal elections across Scotland, and the wider British local elections.
Election Context
The usual process was for one third of the councillors to be re-elected annually; however, Glasgow had seen boundary extensions and had transformed from a Town Council to a City Corporation. As such, the election saw all 75 councillors from all 25 wards (3 councillors per ward) seeking re-election simultaneously. This was the first time since 3 November 1846 that all of Glasgow’s councillors had been up for re-election at the same time. The 1846 re-election had occurred as a result of the towns of Calton, Anderston, and the Gorbals being subsumed into Glasgow.
Progressive Union Emergence
The election saw a group of social and civic reformers known as the Progressive Union emerge as the largest group on the council. The Progressives had been inspired by the London-based Progressive Party; however, Glasgow’s Progressive platform had a more evangelical religious focus, combined with a belief in temperance, observance of the sabbath, and good municipal governance.
Election Dynamics
Contests took place in 23 of the city’s 25 wards, with only the wards of Kingston and Sandyford going uncontested. Overall, 114 candidates contested the 75 seats. The election saw an unusually heavy turnout, with female voters in particular voting in unprecedented numbers, credited to the efforts and influence of the new Progressive Union grouping.
Workers Municipal Elections Committee
The election was also the first to be contested by the Workers Municipal Elections Committee, which had been established in June 1896 and comprised the Irish National League, the Independent Labour Party, and the Co-operative movement. This grouping was brought together under the leadership of John Ferguson (elected for Calton ward), a prominent Irish Home Rule activist with close contacts to both the Labour movement and radical politics.
Aggregate Results
Wards
Anderston
Blackfriars
Blythswood
Broomielaw
Calton
Cowcaddens
Cowlairs
Dalmarnock
Dennistoun
Exchange
Gorbals
Govanhill
Hutchesontown
Kelvinside
Kingston
Langside
Maryhill
Mile-end
Park
Pollokshields
Sandyford
Springburn
Townhead
Whitevale
Woodside
Notes
- Thomson, Finlay, Morris, and Connell all ran as ‘Progressive’ candidates, however, Finlay, Morris, and Connell ran on a joint ticket claiming to be ‘popular Progressive’ candidates known due to their past service. Thomson ran a separate campaign claiming to be ‘The Progressive candidate,’ focusing on the issue of temperance.
- Forsyth and Pringle ran as ‘Workers’ candidates, with a developed policy platform prioritizing the establishment of a judicial rent commission to fix fair rents and the taxation of land values.
- Whilst running on a ‘re-elect’ basis, Osborne is cited elsewhere as a member of the Glasgow Conservative party.
References
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