Edinburgh West (UK Parliament constituency)

Edinburgh West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, first contested at the 1885 general election.[n 1]

Not to be confused with Edinburgh Western (Scottish Parliament constituency).

Edinburgh West
Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Edinburgh West in
Subdivisions of ScotlandCity of Edinburgh
Major settlementsDalmeny, Haymarket, South Gyle, South Queensferry, Muirhouse, Kirkliston, Corstorphine, Clermiston
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentChristine Jardine (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
Created fromEdinburgh
Map of Constituency

Before the 2005 general election, the boundaries were the same as the Scottish Parliament constituency with the same name, which had been created in 1999. See Edinburgh West (Scottish Parliament constituency).

This commuter belt seat, distinctively in the city, was safely Unionist/Conservative for over 65 years, from the 1931 general election until the 1997 general election, after which the seat was held by the Liberal Democrats until the 2015 general election. The MP between the 2015 and 2017 general elections was Michelle Thomson, who was elected for the SNP in May 2015. In September 2015, she resigned the party whip and sat as an Independent. At the 2017 general election, Christine Jardine of the Liberal Democrats gained the seat with a majority of 2,988 votes. Thomson chose to neither seek re-election for the SNP, or as an Independent candidate and stood down.[1]

The seat has been relative to others a marginal seat since 2005, as the winner's majority has not exceeded 8.2% of the vote since the 30% majority won in that year. The seat has changed hands twice electorally since that year and once through resigning the party whip.

Boundaries

The seat was created when the Edinburgh constituency was abolished, in 1885, replaced by four seats: Edinburgh East, Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh South and Edinburgh West. The Central constituency was abolished in 2005. The East constituency was abolished in 1997, but a new Edinburgh East was created in 2005. The South and West constituencies have been in continuous use (with alterations to boundaries) since 1885.

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 provided that the seat was to consist of the Municipal Wards of St. Andrew, St. Stephen, St. Bernard, and St. Luke.[2]

In 1918 the seat legally consisted of the Dalry, Gorgie, Haymarket and St. Bernard's Municipal Wards of Edinburgh.

Before the 2005 general election, the seat was one of six covering the City of Edinburgh council area. Five were entirely within the city council area. One, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, straddled the boundary with the East Lothian council area to take in Musselburgh.

Constituency boundaries were revised for the 2005 election: Edinburgh West was enlarged, to include an area formerly within Edinburgh Central, and became one of five seats covering the city area.[3]

The seat now covers a north western portion of the city area. It is mostly suburban, but takes in rural areas within the city area, to the west of central Edinburgh. In terms of wards used in elections to the City of Edinburgh Council, 1999 to 2007, the seat comprises:-

These wards were replaced with new wards in 2007, as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, and none of the new wards were wholly within the constituency. Almond and Constorphine/Murrayfield are almost entirely within it except for a small corner of each one. The constituency also includes a majority of Drum Brae/Gyle, a minority of Pentland Hills and small sections of Forth, Inverleith, City Centre and Sighthill/Gorgie.

Members of Parliament
YearMember[4]Party
1885 Thomas Buchanan Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1888 by-election Liberal
1892 Viscount Wolmer Liberal Unionist
1895 Lewis McIver Liberal Unionist
1909 by-election James Avon Clyde Liberal Unionist
1912 Unionist
1918 John Gordon Jameson Coalition Conservative
1922 Vivian Phillipps Liberal
1924 Ian MacIntyre Unionist
1929 George Mathers Labour
1931 Wilfrid Guild Normand Unionist
1935 Thomas Mackay Cooper Unionist
1941 by-election Ian Clark Hutchison Unionist
1959 Anthony Stodart Unionist/Conservative
Oct 1974 Lord James Douglas-Hamilton Conservative
1997 Donald Gorrie Liberal Democrat
2001 John Barrett Liberal Democrat
2010 Mike Crockart Liberal Democrat
2015 Michelle Thomson SNP
2015[1] Independent
2017 Christine Jardine Liberal Democrat

Election results

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Edinburgh West[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christine Jardine 21,766 39.9 5.6
SNP Sarah Masson 17,997 33.0 4.4
Conservative Graham Hutchison 9,283 17.0 4.9
Labour Craig Bolton 4,460 8.2 6.7
Scottish Green Elaine Gunn 1,027 1.9 New
Majority 3,769 6.9 1.2
Turnout 54,533 75.2 1.4
Registered electors 72,507 1.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing 0.6
General election 2017: Edinburgh West[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christine Jardine 18,108 34.3 1.2
SNP Toni Giugliano 15,120 28.6 10.4
Conservative Sandy Batho 11,559 21.9 9.6
Labour Mandy Telford 7,876 14.9 3.2
Scotland's Independence Referendum Party Mark Whittet 132 0.3 New
Majority 2,988 5.7 N/A
Turnout 52,795 73.8 2.7
Registered electors c.71,500
Liberal Democrats gain from SNP Swing 5.8
General election 2015: Edinburgh West[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Michelle Thomson 21,378 39.0 25.8
Liberal Democrats Mike Crockart 18,168 33.1 2.8
Conservative Lindsay Paterson 6,732 12.3 10.9
Labour Cameron Day 6,425 11.7 16.0
Scottish Green Pat Black 1,140 2.1 New
UKIP Otto Inglis 1,015 1.9 New
Majority 3,210 5.9 N/A
Turnout 54,858 76.5 5.2
SNP gain from Liberal Democrats Swing 14.3
General election 2010: Edinburgh West[10][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Crockart 16,684 35.9 13.6
Labour Cameron Day 12,881 27.7 9.1
Conservative Stewart Geddes 10,767 23.2 3.7
SNP Sheena M. Cleland 6,115 13.2 4.1
Majority 3,803 8.2 29.8
Turnout 46,447 71.3 2.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing 11.4

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Edinburgh West[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Barrett 22,417 49.5 +11.2
Conservative David A. Brogan 8,817 19.5 −2.2
Labour Navraj Singh Ghaleigh 8,433 18.6 −7.9
SNP Sheena M. Cleland 4,124 9.1 −1.6
Scottish Green Ailsa Spindler 964 2.1 New
Scottish Socialist Gary P. Clark 510 1.1 −1.0
Majority 13,600 30.0 +10.7
Turnout 45,265 68.9 +5.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +6.7
General election 2001: Edinburgh West[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Barrett 16,719 42.4 −0.8
Labour Elspeth Alexandra 9,130 23.1 +4.3
Conservative Iain Whyte 8,894 22.5 −5.5
SNP Alyn Smith 4,047 10.3 +1.5
Scottish Socialist Bill Scott 688 1.7 New
Majority 7,589 19.3 +4.1
Turnout 39,478 63.2 −14.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.6

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Edinburgh West[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Donald Gorrie 20,578 43.2 +13.3
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 13,325 28.0 −10.2
Labour Lesley Hinds 8,948 18.8 +1.4
SNP Graham D. Sutherland 4,210 8.8 -3.7
Referendum Stephen C. Elphick 277 0.6 New
Liberal Paul N. Coombes 263 0.5 −0.1
Independent Antony C.O. Jack 30 0.1 New
Majority 7,253 15.2 N/A
Turnout 47,631 77.9 -2.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +11.8
General election 1992: Edinburgh West[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 18,071 37.0 −0.3
Liberal Democrats Donald Gorrie 17,192 35.2 +0.4
Labour Irene A. Kitson 8,759 18.0 −4.2
SNP Graham D. Sutherland 4,117 8.4 +2.8
Liberal Alan R. Fleming 272 0.6 New
Scottish Green Linda Hendry 234 0.5 New
BNP David J. Bruce 133 0.3 New
Majority 879 1.8 −0.7
Turnout 48,778 82.6 +3.2
Conservative hold Swing −0.3

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Edinburgh West[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 18,450 37.35 -0.82
Liberal Derek G. King 17,216 34.85 -2.24
Labour Michael McGregor 10,957 22.18 +2.04
SNP Norman Irons 2,774 5.62 +1.02
Majority 1,234 2.50
Turnout 79.40
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Edinburgh West[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 17,646 38.17 -5.46
Liberal Derek G. King 17,148 37.09 +17.59
Labour Alec Wood 9,313 20.14 -9.23
SNP JW Nicoll 2,126 4.60 -2.88
Majority 498 1.08
Turnout 75.73
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 19,360 45.4 +7.3
Labour Michael C.B. McGregor 12,009 28.2 +3.0
Liberal R Callendar 7,330 17.2 +0.8
SNP Colin Bell 3,904 9.2 -11.0
Majority 7,351 17.2 +4.3
Turnout 42,603 77.8 +1.2
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 15,354 38.15 -6.06
Labour WJ Taylor 10,152 25.22 +0.83
SNP Catherina McMillan Moore 8,135 20.21 +10.29
Liberal Donald Gorrie 6,606 16.41 -5.08
Majority 5,202 12.93
Turnout 76.56
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Stodart 18,908 44.21 -7.7
Labour WJ Taylor 10,431 24.39 -8.8
Liberal Donald Gorrie 9,189 21.49 +13.4
SNP Catherina McMillan Moore 4,241 9.92 +3.1
Majority 8,477 19.82
Turnout 82.18
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Stodart 26,864 49.23 +0.94
Labour George Foulkes 19,523 35.78 -2.18
Liberal Donald Gorrie 4,467 8.19 -4.56
SNP Muriel Gibson 3,711 6.80 New
Majority 7,341 13.45
Turnout 74.95
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Stodart 24,882 48.29 -2.27
Labour Dick Douglas 20,073 38.96 +3.66
Liberal James R Telfer 6,571 12.75 -1.39
Majority 4,809 9.33
Turnout 78.66
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Stodart 26,298 50.56 -5.93
Labour James K Stocks 18,359 35.30 +4.76
Liberal James R Telfer 7,352 14.14 +1.17
Majority 7,939 15.26
Turnout 80.91
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Stodart 25,976 56.49 -10.55
Labour James K Stocks 14,044 30.54 -2.42
Liberal Donald Leach 5,962 12.97 New
Majority 11,932 25.95
Turnout 45,982 80.26
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1955: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ian Clark Hutchison 26,000 67.04 +1.1
Labour James Alexander Cuthburt Thomson 12,784 32.96 -1.1
Majority 13,216 34.1 +2.2
Turnout 38,784 75.7 -5.4
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1951: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ian Clark Hutchison 30,232 65.95
Labour Harry S Wilson 15,607 34.05
Majority 14,625 31.91
Turnout 45,839 83.12
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1950: Edinburgh West [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ian Clark Hutchison 26,978 60.03
Labour Co-op C Morgan 14,377 31.99
Liberal Margaret Walker 3,586 7.98
Majority 12,601 28.04
Turnout 44,941 82.79
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Edinburgh West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ian Clark Hutchison 19,894 47.38 -19.6
Labour Gordon Stott 18,840 44.87 +14.9
Liberal John Gibson Thomson 3,256 7.75 New
Majority 1,054 2.51 -31.5
Turnout 41,990 67.68 -1.4
Unionist hold Swing
By-election 1941: Edinburgh West[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ian Clark Hutchison Unopposed N/A N/A

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Edinburgh West[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Cooper 28,023 67.01
Labour James C. Welsh 13,794 32.99
Majority 14,229 34.02
Turnout 41,817 69.10
Unionist hold Swing
1935 Edinburgh West by-election[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Cooper 16,373 53.0
Labour William McAdam 10,462 33.9
Liberal George Paish 4,059 13.1 New
Majority 5,911
Turnout 51.2
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1931: Edinburgh West[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Wilfrid Normand 31,407 71.20 +39.5
Labour George Mathers 12,704 28.80 -10.2
Majority 18,703 42.40 N/A
Turnout 44,111 79.18 +4.4
Unionist gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Edinburgh West[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Mathers 15,795 38.6 +5.5
Unionist Wilfrid Normand 12,966 31.7 −4.9
Liberal Vivian Phillipps 12,126 29.7 −0.6
Majority 2,829 6.9 N/A
Turnout 40,887 74.8 −4.5
Registered electors 54,695
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +5.2
General election 1924: Edinburgh West[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ian Macintyre 10,628 36.6 +3.6
Labour George Mathers 9,603 33.1 +7.4
Liberal Vivian Phillipps 8,790 30.3 −11.0
Majority 1,025 3.5 N/A
Turnout 29,021 79.3 +4.9
Registered electors 36,618
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing −1.9
Phillipps
General election 1923: Edinburgh West[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Vivian Phillipps 11,010 41.3 −10.1
Unionist Ian Macintyre 8,778 33.0 −15.6
Labour George Mathers 6,836 25.7 New
Majority 2,232 8.3 +5.5
Turnout 26,624 74.4 +5.5
Registered electors 35,809
Liberal hold Swing +2.8
Vivian Phillipps
General election 1922: Edinburgh West [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Vivian Phillipps 12,355 51.4 +16.9
Unionist John Gordon Jameson 11,689 48.6 −2.2
Majority 666 2.8 N/A
Turnout 24,044 68.9 +15.6
Registered electors 34,899
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +9.6

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Edinburgh West[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist John Gordon Jameson 9,172 50.8 −3.0
Liberal Edward Parrott 6,220 34.5 −11.7
Labour John Alexander Young 2,642 14.7 New
Majority 2,952 16.3 +8.7
Turnout 18,034 53.3 −37.1
Registered electors 33,835
Unionist hold Swing +4.4
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election Dec 1910: Edinburgh West[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist James Avon Clyde 4,952 53.8 +1.3
Liberal J.H. Morgan 4,252 46.2 −1.3
Majority 700 7.6 +2.6
Turnout 9,204 90.4 −1.0
Registered electors 10,179
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +1.3
General election Jan 1910: Edinburgh West[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist James Avon Clyde 4,683 52.5 +0.5
Liberal Charles Henry Lyell 4,233 47.5 −0.5
Majority 450 5.0 +1.0
Turnout 8,916 91.4 +6.4
Registered electors 9,758
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +0.5

Elections in the 1900s
By-election, 1909: Edinburgh West[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist James Avon Clyde Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
Courtney
General election 1906: Edinburgh West[32][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Lewis McIver 3,949 52.0 −9.2
Liberal Leonard Courtney 3,643 48.0 +9.2
Majority 306 4.0 −18.4
Turnout 7,592 85.0 +8.5
Registered electors 8,930
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +9.2
General election 1900: Edinburgh West[32][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Lewis McIver 4,180 61.2 N/A
Liberal E. Adam 2,645 38.8 N/A
Majority 1,535 22.4 N/A
Turnout 6,825 76.5 N/A
Registered electors 8,926
Liberal Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895: Edinburgh West[32][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Lewis McIver Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
By-Election, 1895: Edinburgh West[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Lewis McIver 3,783 55.2 +1.5
Liberal Alexander Murray 3,075 44.8 −1.5
Majority 708 10.4 +3.0
Turnout 6,858 81.1 −3.2
Registered electors 8,452
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +1.5
General election 1892: Edinburgh West[33][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist William Palmer 3,728 53.7 −2.6
Liberal Thomas Buchanan 3,216 46.3 +2.6
Majority 512 7.4 −5.2
Turnout 6,944 84.3 +11.9
Registered electors 8,236
Liberal Unionist hold Swing −2.6

Elections in the 1880s
1888 Edinburgh West by-election [34][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Buchanan 3,294 50.4 +6.7
Liberal Unionist Thomas Raleigh 3,248 49.6 −6.7
Majority 46 0.8 N/A
Turnout 6,542 84.4 +12.0
Registered electors 7,749
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +6.7
  • Caused by Buchanan's resignation to seek re-election as a Liberal candidate.
General election 1886: Edinburgh West[34][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Thomas Buchanan 3,083 56.3 +15.4
Liberal Robert Wallace 2,393 43.7 −15.4
Majority 690 12.6 N/A
Turnout 5,476 72.4 −12.5
Registered electors 7,565
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.4
General election 1885: Edinburgh West[34][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Buchanan 3,800 59.1 N/A
Conservative George Auldjo Jamieson 2,625 40.9 N/A
Majority 1,175 18.2 N/A
Turnout 6,425 84.9 N/A
Registered electors 7,565
Liberal win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references
References
  1. "Nicola Sturgeon learned of SNP MP allegations from Sunday newspaper". BBC News. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  2. Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Sixth Schedule
  3. Fifth Periodical Review, Boundary Commission for Scotland Archived 21 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
  5. "UK Parliamentary General Election - 12 December 2019". The City of Edinburgh Council. The City of Edinburgh Council. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  6. "Edinburgh West parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. Council, The City of Edinburgh. "The City of Edinburgh Council download - UK Parliamentary election results 2015 - Council and democracy - Elections and voting - Election results". www.edinburgh.gov.uk.
  10. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. "Lib Dems' Barrett to quit as MP". BBC News. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  12. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Edinburgh West". BBC News.
  13. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. "Political Science Resources: links to UK and US politics". www.psr.keele.ac.uk.
  17. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  19. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1950.
  22. Whitaker's Almanack, 1944
  23. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  24. The Times House of Commons, 1935
  25. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  26. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  27. Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
  28. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  29. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  30. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  31. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  32. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  33. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  34. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
Notes
  1. As with all extant examples of constituencies nationwide (since 1955) it elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

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