2022 Glasgow City Council election

Previous election At the previous election in 2017, the Scottish National Party (SNP) won the most seats on the council for the first time. The SNP gained 12 seats to hold 39, four shy of an overall majority, while Labour lost 13 seats, which left them with 31 as they fell from the largest party to second place. The Conservatives gained seven seats to record their best result in Glasgow since 1980 with eight seats. The Greens had a similarly record-breaking result as they recorded their best ever result in Glasgow picking up seven seats, two more than 2012. The Liberal Democrats lost their only seat. As a result, the SNP formed a minority administration to run the council. Source: Composition Following the 2017 election, several changes in the composition of the council occurred. Most were changes to the political affiliation of councillors including SNP councillors Glenn Elder, Russell Robertson, Michael Cullen and Elspeth Kerr and Green councillor Martin Bartos who resigned from their respective parties to become independents. Labour councillor Anne McTaggart defected and joined the SNP and Conservative councillor Tony Curtis resigned from the party before he was disqualified from the council for not attending a meeting in six months. Labour councillor Jim Coleman was also disqualified for not attending a meeting in six months. SNP councillors Michelle Ferns and John Letford defected to the Alba Party. Three by-elections were held and resulted in a Labour hold, a Labour gain from Conservative and an SNP gain from Labour. Labour councillor Gary Gray died in February 2022 which left a vacancy on the council which would not be filled as it was less than six months before the election. ;Notes Retiring Councillors Source: Candidates The total number of candidates fell from 209 in 2017 to 201. As was the case five years previous, the SNP fielded the highest number of candidates at 49 (seven less than in 2017) across the 23 wards. Unlike 2017, the SNP were the only party to field enough candidates to win an outright majority as Labour only put forward 42 candidates – one fewer than the previous election. All of the Labour candidates stood under the "Glasgow Labour" banner, an official alternative description registered by the UK Labour Party that its candidates can use on the ballot papers. Both the Greens and the Conservatives also contested every ward with both standing 23 candidates which was the same as the previous election. The 20 candidates fielded by the Liberal Democrats were one less than in 2017 while the number of independent candidates fell from 14 to nine. As they had in 2017, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) stood seven candidates while the Scottish Socialist Party put forward four candidates – up one from the previous election. The number of United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) candidates fell by 90 per cent to one while the Libertarians (two) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) (one) stood the same number of candidates as they had in 2017. Contesting elections in Glasgow City for the first time were the Alba Party (14 candidates), the Freedom Alliance (three), Volt UK (one) and the Scottish Family Party (one). Solidarity – who had contested every election in Glasgow since 2003 – and No Referendum Maintain Union Pro-Brexit – who had also stood at the 2017 election – did not stand any candidates. ==Results==

Source: Ward summary Source: Seats changing hands Below is a list of seats which elected a different party or parties from 2017 in order to highlight the change in political composition of the council from the previous election. The list does not include defeated incumbents who resigned or defected from their party and subsequently failed re-election while the party held the seat. ;Notes Source: ==Ward results==

Linn The SNP (2) and Labour (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while Labour also gained one seat from the Conservatives. Newlands/Auldburn The SNP and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Greens gained one seat from the Conservatives. Greater Pollok The SNP (2) and Labour (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Cardonald The SNP (2) and Labour (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Govan The SNP (2), Labour (1) and the Greens (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Pollokshields The SNP, Labour and the Greens retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP also gained a seat from the Conservatives. Langside The SNP (2), Labour (1) and the Greens (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Southside Central Labour retained both of their seats while the SNP retained one of their two seats and the Greens gained a seat from the SNP. Calton The SNP (2) and Labour (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while Labour gained one seat from the Conservatives. Anderston/City/Yorkhill The SNP (2), Labour (1) and the Greens (1) retained the seats they won at the previous election. Hillhead The Greens, the SNP and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Victoria Park The SNP and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Greens gained a seat from the Conservatives. Garscadden/Scotstounhill The SNP (2) and Labour (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Drumchapel/Anniesland The SNP (2) and Labour (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Maryhill The SNP (2) and Labour (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Canal The SNP (2) and Labour (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Springburn/Robroyston Labour (2) and the SNP (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. East Centre The SNP (2) and Labour (2) retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Shettleston Labour and the Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP retained one of their two seats and Labour gained one seat from the SNP. Baillieston Labour, the SNP and the Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous election. North East The SNP retained one of the two seats they had won at the previous election while Labour retained their seat and gained one from the SNP. Dennistoun The SNP, Labour and the Greens retained the seats they had won at the previous election. Partick East/Kelvindale Labour, the SNP and the Greens retained the seats they had won at the previous election while Labour also gained one seat from the Conservatives. ==Aftermath==

Despite losing two seats, the SNP retained their position as the largest party ahead of Labour. The result was welcomed by First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon who called the SNP's gain from the Conservatives in Pollokshields "seismic". Labour group leader Cllr Malcolm Cunning said the results pointed to the people in Glasgow looking for change after the party gained five seats. The election saw both the first refugees – Cllr Abdul Bostani and Cllr Roza Salih – to be elected as a councillor in Scotland and the first transgender person – Cllr Elaine Gallagher – elected to Glasgow City Council. After the election, the SNP reached a working agreement with the Greens, similar in nature to the co-operation agreement in the Scottish Government but the Greens would not form part of the administration. Cllr Susan Aitken was returned as council leader and Cllr Richard Bell was elected as deputy leader, replacing David McDonald who had stood down before the election. Cllr Jacqueline McLaren was selected as Lord Provost – replacing Labour's Cllr Philip Braat – and, as part of the agreement with the Greens, Cllr Christy Mearns was re-elected as deputy Lord Provost. Cllr Cunning was replaced as leader of the Labour group by Cllr George Redmond shortly after the election. In April 2024, Springburn/Robroyston councillor Audrey Dempsey was suspended by Labour pending an investigation following allegedly racist social media posts. She later quit the party to sit as an independent councillor. Former Lord Provost Cllr Braat was arrested and charged in connection with stalking offences in October 2024. He was also suspended by Labour pending an investigation. In January 2025, Cllr Thomas Kerr defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK – a move branded "very disappointing" by party leader Russell Findlay – leaving the party with just one member on the council. He is the first Reform councillor in Glasgow and the fifth in Scotland. Shettleston councillor Frank McAveety, a former council leader, MSP and Scottish Executive minister, was charged with electoral fraud in April 2025. He is alleged to have given a false address when standing for election to Glasgow City Council in 2022. Springburn and Robroyston councillor Audrey Dempsey defected to Reform UK on 28 August 2025. Linn by-election In September 2022, Labour councillor for Linn and former group leader Malcolm Cunning died. A by-election was held on 17 November 2022 and was won by Labour candidate John Carson. Hillhead by-election On 14 December 2023, Labour councillor for Hillhead Hanzala Malik died. A by-election was held on 7 March 2024 and was notable as the first by-election in Scotland won by the Greens after Seonad Hoy was elected. November 2024 by-elections In September 2024, Drumchapel/Anniesland councillor Patricia Ferguson and North East councillor Maureen Burke (both Labour) resigned their council seats after successfully being elected as MPs for Glasgow West and Glasgow North East respectively at the 2024 United Kingdom general election. Shortly after, Labour councillor for Maryhill, Keiran O'Neill, resigned for personal reasons. By-elections were held on 21 November 2024 and were won by Labour candidates Mary McNab, Davena Rankin and Marie Garrity. During the by-election campaign, Labour leader Anas Sarwar u-turned on his stance on means-testing the Winter Fuel Allowance in Scotland – a move which was called "hypocritical" and "convenient" by Kilian Riley, SNP candidate for the North East ward. The policy had previously been blamed for Labour losses following by-elections in Dundee. A second by-election was required for the North East ward after McNab did not resign from her position as an employee of Glasgow City Council within the required timeframe. An initial legal challenge from Labour saw the issue referred to Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar for a ruling but the party dropped the challenge in January 2025 after McNab accepted she should have been disqualified and resigned her council seat. Partick East/Kelvindale by-election In September 2024, SNP councillor for Partick East/Kelvindale Kenny McLean died following an illness. A by-election was held on 5 December 2024 and was won by Labour candidate James Adams. March 2025 by-elections Two by-elections were held on 20 March 2025 due to the death of Southside Central Labour councillor James Scanlon and previous North East by-election winner McNab resigned amid a legal challenge to allow her to take up her seat which was subsequently dropped. The by-elections were won by SNP candidates Mhairi Hunter and Donna McGill. ==Notes==