Five people now represent the five constituencies in Edinburgh, but they are not the same five who represented the city in the last parliament. A little piece of history has been created here since one seat was retained by Labour, and it looks to be the only Labour seat held so far.
Labour’s Sheila Gilmore lost her seat in Edinburgh East to Tommy Sheppard who won it for SNP.
Mike Crockart lost his seat which he won for the Liberal Democrats in 2010 to his next door neighbour on St John’s Road, Michelle Thomson who is a first time SNP candidate.
The Depute Lord Provost Deidre Brock is now the SNP MP for Edinburgh North and Leith replacing Labour’s Mark Lazarowicz who has been MP there for 14 years. This may well lead to a by-election in Leith, and perhaps someone will have to take up the Depute Lord Provost position on the council.
The Edinburgh South West seat vacated by former Chancellor Alasdair Darling who is retiring from politics is an SNP gain for Joanna Cherry who is again a first time candidate.
Ian Murray was the only Labour MP so far to hold his seat and increased his majority in doing so. His was a feisty acceptance speech promising that this will not be the end of Labour.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
