Scotland · 72,674Boundary · 2023

Rutherglen

Follow⇄ Compare

Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Rutherglen and Hamilton West.

Dispatch
Apr 2026

Won by Lab in its first election in 2024.

Rutherglen's MP has carved out a clear, conscience-driven position on assisted dying -- one of Westminster's most contested issues. Michael Shanks voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at both Second and Third Reading, placing him among the minority of Labour MPs who opposed the legislation throughout its Commons passage. He also voted against a closure motion during Report Stage in May 2025, signalling discomfort with curtailing debate, and backed an amendment that would have allowed religiously-oriented employers to restrict staff participation in assisted dying. These votes represent his most significant departures from Labour colleagues on a free-vote issue where the party majority consistently backed the Bill.

Beyond assisted dying, Shanks is a broadly loyal government MP, voting with Labour 98.8% of the time. His participation rate of 66% sits below the Commons average. He scores strongly on workers' rights and progressive taxation alignment, and 100% on public ownership votes. He deviates notably from his party average on welfare reform (voting more supportively) and immigration control (voting less so). Energy dominates his speech activity -- 117 contributions -- followed by economy, environment, and cost-of-living debates, suggesting an active focus on industrial and economic issues relevant to a Scottish constituency. He holds no current committee roles.

321
Commons votes
This parliament
£29k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
72.7k
Electorate
2024 GE

Sign up free to see how Michael Shanks votes, their stance profile, speeches, and committee roles.

Sign up free
§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Shanks’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.321 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Shanks has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Taxation
73
Economy
66
Employment
44
Education
28
Welfare and Benefits
27
Crime & Policing
21
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Third Reading20 Jun 2025 · free vote
No
Closure motion16 May 2025 · free vote
No
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill Report Stage: Amendment (a) to New Clause 1016 May 2025 · free vote
Aye
§ 08The local picture.6 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
BlantyreBert Thomson815Labour P
BlantyreMaureen Chalmers1,652Scottish
BlantyreMo Razzaq1,519Labour P
Bothwell UddingstonCal Johnston-Dempsey924Scottish
Bothwell UddingstonKenny McCreary1,485Conserva
Bothwell UddingstonMaureen Devlin1,633Labour P
Cambuslang EastAlistair Fulton1,123Scottish
Cambuslang EastKaty Loudon1,037Scottish
Cambuslang EastWalter Brogan1,486Labour P
Cambuslang WestJohn Bradley1,382Scottish
Cambuslang WestMargaret Walker1,727Labour P
Cambuslang WestNorman Rae730Liberal
Median income
£29,000
HMRC SPI 2024
Next · dig deeperEvery division, question, speech and committee record

Mine the full
record → Data view

Filter divisions, search written questions, read every speech since the election. Sortable, searchable, downloadable.

More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.