Edinburgh South (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

The constituency covers the southern suburbs around the Braid Hills including Morningside, Comiston, Liberton and Gilmerton. This is a generally wealthy seat with a significant student population.

History

;Summary of results A candidate fielded by the Labour Party has won the seat since 1987. Prior to that the political division for Westminster purposes voted for the Conservative and Unionist candidate, ahead of all other candidates by single preference, at each Westminster election from and including 1918. Back then, the electorates' single-most preferred candidate in simple voting was that of the Liberal Party, except in 1900 when a Liberal Unionist was returned. The 2015 result gave the seat the 23rd-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority. In the 2017 general election, Ian Murray received the highest voteshare of any Scottish candidate and was also one of only two constituencies in Scotland where the winning candidate received a majority of the votes cast (the other one being Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk).

Edinburgh South is one of three constituencies in Scotland to have never elected an MP from the Scottish National Party at any point in history, alongside Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale; and Orkney and Shetland.

;Recent opposition candidates' performance At the 2015 general election three of the seven parties' candidates standing retained their deposits, their votes exceeding 5%. Those doing so and not winning were SNP – 33.8% of the vote, and Conservative – 17.5% of the vote. At this election, the SNP increased their share of the vote by over 26%, coming a close second to Murray.

The Liberal Democrat candidate of 2005 fell within 0.9% of a winning majority. The Liberal Democrats' swing nationally was −15.2% swing in 2015. The swing in this seat against the party was however −30.3% resulting in the loss of their deposit, a fate not sustained by either of the party's two formative parties in the seat since 1970.

;Turnout Turnout has ranged between 81.1% in 1950 and 57.7% in 2001.

;2016 EU referendum In the 2016 referendum of membership of the European Union, the constituency voted Remain by 77.8%. This was the tenth highest support for Remain for a constituency.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The St. George, St. Cuthbert, and Newington municipal wards of the burgh of Edinburgh.

1918–1950: The Merchiston, Morningside, and Newington municipal wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh.

1950–1983: The Liberton, Morningside and Newington wards (as constituted by the Local Government (Scotland) (Edinburgh Wards) Order 1948, SI 1948/1138) of the county of the city of Edinburgh.

1983–1997: Electoral divisions 32 (Merchiston/Morningside), 33 (Sciennes/Marchmont), 34 (Prestonfield/Mayfield), 37 (Alnwickhill/Kaimes) and 38 (Inch/Gilmerton) of the City of Edinburgh.

1997–2005: Electoral divisions 32 (Merchiston/Morningside), 33 (Sciennes/Marchmont), 34 (Prestonfield/Mayfield), 36 (Alnwickhill/Kaimes) and 37 (Inch/Gilmerton) of the City of Edinburgh.

2005–2024: Under the Fifth Review of UK Parliament constituencies, the constituency boundaries were defined in accordance with the ward structure in place on 30 November 2004 and contained the City of Edinburgh wards of Merchiston, North Morningside/Grange, Marchmont, Sciennes, Newington, South Morningside, Fairmilehead, Alnwickhill, Kaimes, Moredun, and Gilmerton.

In 2005, prior to the general election, Edinburgh South 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. For the 2005 election, the constituency was enlarged to include areas from the former Edinburgh Pentlands constituency, and became one of five constituencies covering the city area, all entirely within that area.

2024–present: Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency contains the following wards or part wards of the City of Edinburgh Council:

• A minority of Colinton/Fairmilehead ward, comprising the Fairmilehead district;
• nearly all of Morningside ward;
• the majority of Southside/Newington ward - excluding the Southside area to the north; and
• the whole of Liberton/Gilmerton ward.

As a result of the boundary review, the Prestonfield area of the Southside/Newington ward was transferred from Edinburgh East.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

:

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

|reg. electors = 45,794

|reg. electors = 33,447

|reg. electors = 32,745 |reg. electors = 32,152 |reg. electors = 32,656

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors = 32,087

|reg. electors = 20,868

|reg. electors = 20,433

|reg. electors = 20,433

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors = 18,789

|reg. electors = 16,832 |reg. electors = 14,794

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors = 13,891 |reg. electors = 12,053

|reg. electors = 10,799

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors = 8,754

• Caused by Childers' appointment as Home Secretary.

|reg. electors = 8,754

• Caused by Harrison's death.

|reg. electors = 8,754

Referendum results

[[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 European Union membership referendum]]

[[2014 Scottish independence referendum]]

Notes

References

References

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2. (7 May 2010). "Labour succeeds in recount seat".
3. "UK Polling Report".
4. "Men's wages in this Edinburgh constituency are up with London high-earners".
5. "Labour Members of Parliament 2015".
6. "Revised estimates of leave vote in Westminster constituencies".
7. . (1885). "The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria". *Eyre and Spottiswoode*.
8. Fraser, Hugh. (1918). "The Representation of the People Act, 1918: with explanatory notes". Sweet and Maxwell.
9. {{Cite legislation UK. (1948)
10. {{cite legislation UK. (1983)
11. {{cite legislation UK. (1995)
12. {{cite legislation UK. (2005)
13. "Fifth Periodical Review".
14. [https://www.bcomm-scotland.independent.gov.uk/reviews/2023-review-uk-parliament-constituencies 2023 Review UK Parliament constituencies] Boundary Commission for Scotland
15. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
16. {{Rayment-hc. e. 1. (March 2012)
17. "Edinburgh South results". BBC News.
18. "UK Parliamentary General Election 2024 Edinburgh South Constituency".
19. "Edinburgh South notional election - December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
20. "UK Parliamentary General Election – 12 December 2019".
21. "Edinburgh South parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News.
22. (28 January 2020). "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
23. "Who you can vote for: UK Parliamentary General Election 8 June 2017 candidates". Edinburgh City Council.
24. (29 January 2019). "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
25. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
26. Council, The City of Edinburgh. "UK Parliamentary election results 2015 | The City of Edinburgh Council".
27. "Edinburgh South parliamentary constituency – Election 2017".
28. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
29. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/election2010/results/constituency/824.stm General Election 2010 – Edinburgh South] BBC News
30. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
31. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
32. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
33. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
34. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
35. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
36. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
37. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
38. Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1930
39. Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
40. The Times, 8 December 1923
41. The Times, 23 April 1920. By-election followed Charles Murray's appointment as Solicitor-General for Scotland
42. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
43. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922
44. (1974). "British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918". Macmillan Press.
45. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
46. (5 March 1909). "South Edinburgh Election". Surrey Mirror.
47. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
48. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901