Edinburgh Central (UK Parliament constituency)

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Not to be confused with Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency).
Edinburgh Central
Former Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland City of Edinburgh
1885 (1885)–2005 (2005)
Number of members One
Replaced by Edinburgh East
Edinburgh North & Leith
Edinburgh South West
Edinburgh West
Created from Edinburgh

Edinburgh Central was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (at Westminster) from 1885 to 2005. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

In 1999, a Scottish Parliament constituency was created with the same name and boundaries, and continues in use. See Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency).

From 1925 until 1999, the Member of Parliament for the Westminster constituency was an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Scotland. Since 1999, that role has been taken by the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Scottish Parliament constituency.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 provided that the constituency was to consist of the Municipal Wards of St. Giles, George Square, and St. Leonard, except so much as is comprised in the Edinburgh East Division (being the part to the north of a line drawn along the centres of East and West Richmond Streets).[1]

In 1918 the constituency consisted of the "George Square, St. Giles' and St. Leonard's Municipal Wards of Edinburgh."

"George Square, Holyrood, St Giles" was the description of the Central seat between 1950 and 1955, following the Representation of the People Act 1948[2]. This changed until 1974, when part of Gorgie-Dalry was added[3], and again after 1974 until 1983 to include part of Merchiston[4].

Until 1997 the wards comprising Edinburgh Central were numbers 20-21, and 27-29, which changed to parts of wards 5-7, 9-11, and 14-15 until the abolition of the constituency in 2005.

The 1997-2005 boundaries covered a central portion of the City of Edinburgh council area, including Edinburgh Old Town, the West End, Holyrood and Murrayfield. The constituency was one of six covering the city council area.

At the 2005 general election, the constituency area was divided between Edinburgh East, Edinburgh North and Leith, Edinburgh South West and Edinburgh West.[5]

[edit] Member of Parliament

Election Member[6] Party
1885 John Wilson Independent Liberal
1886 William McEwan Liberal
1900 George Mackenzie Brown Liberal
1906 Charles Edward Price Liberal
1918 William Graham Labour
1931 James Campbell Morrison Guy Unionist
1941 by-election Francis Clifford Watt Unionist
1945 Andrew Gilzean Labour
1951 Thomas Oswald Labour
Feb. 1974 Robin Cook Labour
1983 Alex Fletcher Conservative
1987 Alastair Darling Labour

[edit] Election results

[edit] Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2001: Edinburgh Central[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alistair Darling 14,495 42.1 -5.0
Liberal Democrat Andrew Myles 6,353 18.5 +5.4
Conservative Alastair Orr 5,643 16.4 -4.8
SNP Ian McKee 4,832 14.1 -1.7
Scottish Green Graeme Farmer 1,809 5.3 +3.9
Scottish Socialist Kevin Williamson 1,258 3.7 N/A
Majority 8,142 23.7
Turnout 34,390 52.0 -15.1
Labour hold Swing -5.2

[edit] Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Edinburgh Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alistair Darling 20,125 47.1
Conservative M. Scott-Hayward 9,055 21.2
SNP F. Hyslop 6,750 15.8
Liberal Democrat K. Utting 5,605 13.1
Scottish Green L. Hendry 607 1.4
Referendum Party A. Skinner 495 1.2
Independent M. Benson 98 0.2
Majority 11,070 25.9
Turnout 63,969 66.8
Labour hold Swing +8.4
General Election 1992: Edinburgh Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alistair Darling 15,189 38.8
Conservative P. Martin 13,063 33.4
SNP L.J. Devine 5,539 14.2
Liberal Democrat A.B. Myles 4,500 11.5
Scottish Green R.C. Harper 630 1.6
Liberal R. Wilson 235 0.6
Majority 2,126 5.4
Turnout 56,527 69.3
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Edinburgh Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alistair Darling 16,502 40.2
Conservative A. Fletcher 14,240 34.7
SDP–Liberal Alliance A. Myles 7,333 17.9
SNP B. Shaw 2,559 6.2
Scottish Green L.M. Hendry 438 1.1
Majority 2,262 5.5
Turnout 59,529 69.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Edinburgh Central[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Gilzean 10,921 54.3 +12.9
Unionist Francis Watt 6,701 33.3 −20.7
Liberal N. A. Donald 2,262 11.2 +6.6
Independent H. Sleigh 232 1.2 N/A
Majority 4,220 21.0
Labour gain from Unionist Swing 16.8
Edinburgh Central by-election, 11 December 1941[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Francis Watt 4,771 71.0
Ind. Labour Party T. Taylor 1,950 29.0
Majority 2,821 42.0
Unionist hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Edinburgh Central[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Campbell Morrison Guy MC 12,612
Labour Andrew Gilzean 9,659
Liberal Dr R.A. Barlow 1,086
General Election 1931: Edinburgh Central[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Campbell Morrison Guy MC 17,293
Labour Rt Hon William Graham 10,566
Communist F. Douglas 1,319

[edit] Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1924: Edinburgh Central[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Graham 13,628
Conservative A. Beaton 8,897
General Election 1923: Edinburgh Central[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Graham 13,186
Liberal T. Lamb 6,225

[edit] Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Edinburgh Central[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Graham 7,159
Liberal J. Dobbie 6,795
General Election Dec 1910: Edinburgh Central[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Edward Price 3,771
Conservative G.R.Y. Radcliffe 1,947
General Election Jan 1910: Edinburgh Central[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Edward Price 3,985
Liberal Unionist David A. Scott 1,947

[edit] Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1906: Edinburgh Central[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Edward Price 3,935
Conservative Capt J.D.G. Walker 1,857
General Election 1900: Edinburgh Central[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Mackenzie Brown 3,028
Liberal Unionist Dr Arthur Conan Doyle 2,459

[edit] Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1895: Edinburgh Central[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William McEwan unopposed
General Election 1892: Edinburgh Central[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William McEwan 3,733
Liberal Unionist Arthur K Connell 1,857
Registered electors 7,725

[edit] Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1886: Edinburgh Central[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William McEwan 3,760
Trades Councils Labour John Wilson 2,236
General Election 1885: Edinburgh Central[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Wilson 2,930
Liberal James Hall Renton 1,684
Conservative Maj the Hon John Scott Napier 1,606
Liberal Adam William Black 770

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Sixth Schedule
  2. ^ [1] Boundary Commission for Scotland
  3. ^ [2] Boundary Commission for Scotland
  4. ^ [3] Boundary Commission for Scotland
  5. ^ Fifth Periodical Review, Boundary Commission for Scotland
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
  7. ^ Vote 2001: Edinburgh Central, BBC News
  8. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd edition ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X. 
  9. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1944
  10. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  11. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  12. ^ Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
  13. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
  14. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  15. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  16. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  17. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  18. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  19. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  20. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  21. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889

[edit] See also
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