Edinburgh West (UK Parliament constituency)

History

This commuter belt seat, distinctively in the city, was Unionist/Conservative for over 65 years, from the 1931 general election until the 1997 general election, although the Liberal/SDP Alliance and later the Liberal Democrats repeatedly came close to winning in the 1980s and early 1990s. By the time of the 2024 general election, the Conservatives had dropped to fourth place with just 5.5% of the vote.

After 1997, the seat was held by the Liberal Democrats until the 2015 general election. The Member of Parliament (MP) between the 2015 and 2017 general elections was Michelle Thomson, who was elected for the Scottish National Party (SNP) in May 2015. In September 2015, she resigned the party whip and sat as an Independent. Thomson chose not to seek reelection either for the SNP or as an Independent candidate. At the 2017 general election, Christine Jardine of the Liberal Democrats gained the seat with a majority of 2,988 votes. Jardine held the seat in 2019 with a slightly increased margin, and again in 2024, when her majority increased to 16,470 votes (31.4%).

Up to 2024, the seat had been relative to others a marginal seat since 2005, as the winner's majority had 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.

Constituency profile

This is an affluent, left-leaning and pro-European seat covering the northwestern portion of Edinburgh. It is mostly suburban, but takes in rural areas within the council area including Kirkliston and South Queensferry. Edinburgh Airport and Murrayfield Stadium are within the seat.

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 replaced by Edinburgh East and Musselburgh from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2024. The South and West constituencies have been in continuous use (with alterations to boundaries) since 1885.

1885–1918: The St. Andrew, St. Stephen, St. Bernard and St. Luke wards of the municipal burgh of Edinburgh.

1918–1950: The Dalry, Gorgie, Haymarket and St. Bernard's wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh.

1950–1955: The Corstorphine, Murrayfield-Cramond, St. Bernard's and Pilton wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh.

1955–1974: The Corstorphine (with the exception of the area added by the Edinburgh Corporation Order Confirmation Act 1954), Murrayfield-Cramond, and Pilton wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh, and part of the St. Bernard's ward.

1974–1983: The Corstorphine and Murrayfield-Cramond wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh, and that part of Pilton ward which is not included in the Edinburgh Leith constituency.

1983–1997: Electoral divisions 11 (Cramond/Parkgrove), 15 (Corstorphine North), 16 (Telford/Blackhall), 19 (Corstorphine South) and 26 (Moat/Stenhouse) in the City of Edinburgh.

1997–2005: Electoral divisions 11 (Queensferry/Kirkliston), 12 (Cramond/Blackhall), 13 (Drylaw/Muirhouse), 16 (Corstorphine North), and 21 (Corstorphine South) in 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 Cramond, Dalmeny and Kirkliston, Davidson's Mains, East Craigs, Gyle, Muirhouse and Drylaw, Murrayfield, North East Corstorphine, Queensferry, South East Corstorphine and Stenhouse.

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.

Further to the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, the ward structure in the City of Edinburgh was changed. Consequently, from 2007, none of the new Edinburgh wards were wholly within the constituency. After further minor changes in 2017, the constituency contained the whole of the Almond ward, and Drum Brae/Gyle and Corstorphine/Murrayfield were almost entirely within it, together with a minority of Inverleith and small sections of Pentland Hills, City Centre and Sighthill/Gorgie.

2024–present: Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundary with the neighbouring constituency of Edinburgh North and Leith was revised. The remainder of the Corstorphine/Murrayfield ward was transferred from Edinburgh North and Leith, along with a further part of the Inverleith ward. To partly compensate, the eastern-most part of the Almond ward was moved in the opposite direction. The constituency now covers the following wards or part wards of the City of Edinburgh:

• The bulk of Almond ward - except the Muirhouse area;
• a small part of Pentland Hills ward, comprising Ratho and surrounding rural areas;
• the bulk of Drum Brae/Gyle ward;
• western areas of Inverleith ward, comprising about half its electorate;
• the whole of Corstorphine/Murrayfield ward;
• a small part of Sighthill/Gorgie ward; and
• the western-most part of City Centre ward, comprising the West Coates area.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

|reg. electors = 72,507

|reg. electors = c.71,500

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

|reg. electors = 54,695

|reg. electors = 36,618

|reg. electors = 35,809

|reg. electors = 34,899

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors = 33,835

|reg. electors = 10,179

|reg. electors = 9,758

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors = 8,930

|reg. electors = 8,926

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors = 8,452

|reg. electors = 8,236}}

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors = 7,749

• Caused by Buchanan's resignation to seek re-election as a Liberal candidate.

|reg. electors = 7,565

|reg. electors = 7,565

Notes

References

References

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