The other nine constituencies of the West Scotland region are: Clydebank and Milngavie, Cunninghame North, Cunninghame South, Dumbarton, Eastwood, Greenock and Inverclyde, Paisley, Renfrewshire North and West and Strathkelvin and Bearsden.

It includes a number of small towns and villages that developed during the Industrial Revolution, when the chief industry was thread and cotton manufacture in factories powered by the Black Cart Water and small scale coal mining.

The seat also covers the villages of Elderslie, Howwood, Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch, Neilston and Uplawmoor alongside numerous hamlets.

Labour Party politician Hugh Henry won the seat upon its first use in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, having held its predecessor constituency of Paisley South since 1999.

Henry retired from politics prior to the 2016 election, which also saw Tom Arthur gain the seat for the Scottish National Party.