East Dunbartonshire

The Result

Electorate: 109,000
Area (Hectares): 17,182

This region lies to the north of Glasgow in the Central Lowlands. To the north, East Dunbartonshire is bordered by the Campsie Fells and stretches down to the Glasgow suburb of Bearsden in the south. Some of the areas in the north of the region are very rural, however the authority also includes several towns on the fringes of the Glasgow conurbation. Bearsden and Milngavie are leafy suburbs but Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch are less affluent. The main local industries are book publishing, construction, transport and agriculture.

Labour are the main party in this region holding both the parliamentary seats and over half the seats on the council. Bearsden is a Liberal Democrat stronghold at local government level and Milngavie usually elects Conservative or independent councillors. But much of the rest of the region is dominated by Labour.

Results of 1979 referendum:

ICM/Scotsman poll published on 22 August 1997:

		Yes		No		Don't know
All Scotland		68%		21%		11%
Strathclyde		71%		16%		13%

Question:Should a Scottish Parliament have tax-varying powers?

		Yes		No		Don't know
All Scotland		56%		36%		8%
Strathclyde		56%		36%		9%

(Total Sample Size: 1,001, Fieldwork: 19-20 August 1997)