Edinburgh by-elections – political parties assembling candidates

There will be two by-elections in Edinburgh later in the summer after councillors Simita Kumar and Kate Campbell submitted their resignations to the council Chief Executive.

Cllr Kumar is standing down from her position in the Southside/Newington ward following her appointment as a Scottish Government minister, and SNP councillor Kate Campbell, who has been in post since 2017, has also signalled her departure after her election to The Scottish Parliament. 

The resignations will take effect on Thursday of this week, and it is understood that the two by-elections will be held in September.

Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Leader of the SNP Edinburgh Council Group, said: “As SNP councillors we are, of course, sorry to see two of our hardworking group resigning from the Council, as a result of their election to Holyrood. In the case of Cllr Simita Kumar, her immediate inclusion in the ministerial team would risk a potential conflict of interest with her councillor role.

“The SNP group is a talented and capable one and we will step up to ensure that the city is well-served.

“In the coming by-elections we will be working hard to remind voters of what the SNP brings to the council – a strong focus on supporting the residents of Edinburgh through this cost of living crisis,  improving the lives of everyone who lives here and challenging the current Council administration to do better.  We will be campaigning with strength in both wards.”

Green councillors have welcomed the imminent contests, claiming that they are in a strong position to win by-elections in Edinburgh for the first time.

Co-convener of the 11-strong Green councillor group, Alys Mumford, said: “The Southside Newington contest was always on the cards as soon as Simita was appointed as a minister. It is one of three wards in Edinburgh which first elected Green councillors back in 2007 and has been represented by well-known and respected Green councillor, Steve Burgess, ever since. In 2022 it was competitive between five parties but since then voting patterns have shifted dramatically in favour of the Greens.

“An election in my my own ward of Portobello-Craigmillar was less expected, but I know from my own experience and that of Green councillor Mary Campbell before me, how much Green support has grown and I don’t think Kate’s personal support from 2022 will simply transfer to a new SNP candidate.  

“Only four weeks ago Greens won our first ever parliamentary constituency in Edinburgh Central and, across the city, Greens topped the poll in Scottish Parliament list votes. That’s why I believe that we will attract many of those voters looking for a greener, fairer, welcoming city.  

“We are in both contests for the win.”