Lyn Jardine is the SNP candidate for Edinburgh, North Western at this year’s Scottish election.
She was elected as a councillor in 2022, and is now the leader of the opposition group on East Lothian Council which is run by a minority Labour group.
We began by pointing out the obvious that this constituency is not where she lives and works. Ms Jardine replied: “It’s actually remarkably similar to the constituency in East Lothian in that we’ve got range of income and demographics. Then there is the fact that both areas are on the coast. Both are within the proximity of Edinburgh, but feeling slightly out of it.”
She said there is a lot which is very similar to where she lives and works at the moment.
Ms Jardine is clear that although she is a new politician she has a great deal of experience which stands her in good stead. She said: “I have an extensive professional background in health, housing, social care, and I have taken very easily to the role as councillor and to the leader of the opposition.
“I am very good at critical evaluation of everything, strategic thinking, but fundamentally for me, it’s about understanding people, what people’s needs are, and engaging with them in a much more meaningful way than sometimes others have done.”
The west of Edinburgh is a LibDem stronghold. Alex Cole Hamilton is Scottish LibDem leader in Edinburgh Western, Christine Jardine is the MP for Edinburgh West and three out of the four councillors in the Almond Ward which includes South Queensferry are also Liberal Democrats. One council ward in Edinburgh – Corstorphine/Murrayfield – is exclusively represented by three LibDem councillors.
Asked whether the SNP have a realistic chance of winning this seat, Lyn smiled and replied: “I wouldn’t be here otherwise. I think it’s, a seat that we’ve had successes in before, and I think there is actually a really good opportunity for us here.”
Asked about the local issue of boy racers at the east end of the High Street, and the petition by hundreds of locals to close the car park overnight, Ms Jardine was well briefed. She replied: I think it’s it’s quite a contentious point, because there are plenty of people who don’t want to see the car park closed as well, in terms of the impact that it might have on the town centre. I think my conversations with the Community Council have shown that they’re kind of stuck in the middle. There are people who live nearby and use this space, but also trying to understand what is possible.
“I know that there is a review ongoing at the moment, but it needs to have a dialogue with the community, and actually to facilitate that between the people that want it closed and the ones that want it kept the way it is.”
The Edinburgh Reporter pointed out that the petitioners only want the car park closed overnight which is when the boy racers cause problems.
Ms Jardine was diplomatic and said: “It’s about trying to understand, if you close it at night, and certainly during the summer, that could have an impact on the economy locally, but also it runs the risk of moving the problem elsewhere. So how do we actually ensure that the young people that are using the car park at the moment have something else to do to divert them instead?”
