 On 2 December 1982 Queen's Park voters went to the polls; McElhone was elected with a majority of 5,694 votes over the Scottish National Party.She said that her victory was inevitably tinged with sadness, but was a triumphant night for the Labour Party.She made her maiden speech on 17 January 1983, in a debate on housing in Scotland, noting that her husband had chosen the same subject for his maiden speech.