A general election was held in the United Kingdom on 1 May 1997 and all 72 seats in Scotland were contested.

This would be the last UK general election to be contested in Scotland before the Scottish Parliament was established on 1 July 1999 following overwhelming public approval in a referendum.

The SNP finished second in terms of vote share with 22%, but only won six seats.

Labour won 45.6% of the vote and 56 seats, a net gain of seven on 1992.

The defeated Conservative included three cabinet ministers: the Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Forsyth lost Stirling to Labour, the Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind lost Edinburgh Pentlands, also to Labour, while Ian Lang, President of the Board of Trade, lost Galloway and Upper Nithsdale to the SNP.