Edinburgh Leith (UK Parliament constituency)

UK former constituency infobox
Name = Edinburgh Leith
Type = Burgh
Year = 1950
Abolition = 1997

Edinburgh Leith was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

There was also an earlier Leith constituency, 1918 to 1950, and a yet earlier Leith Burghs constituency, 1832 to 1918.

Boundaries

1950 to 1955

The constituency was first defined by the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949, and first used in the 1950 general election, as one of seven constituencies covering the city of Edinburgh and the Midlothian burgh of Musselburgh.As per "Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972" (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig, 1972
Craig published ahead of the February 1974 general election, but he knew the outcome of the Second Periodical Review, which concluded in 1969] The other six constituencies were Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh East, Edinburgh North, Edinburgh Pentlands, Edinburgh South, and Edinburgh West, and the rest of the county of Midlothian was covered by the Midlothian and Peebles constituency, which also covered the county of Peebles.

The Edinburgh Leith constituency was entirely within the city, and covered the Central Leith, South Leith, and West Leith wards. Therefore the area of the constituency was similar to that of the former burgh of Leith, as merged into the city in 1920.

1950 boundaries were used also for the general election of 1951.

1955 to 1983

The results of the First Periodical Review of the Boundary Commission were implemented for the 1955 general election, and Edinburgh Leith was again one of seven constituencies covering the city of Edinburgh and the burgh of Musselburgh, all named as during the 1950 to 1955 period. The rest of the county of Midlothian was now covered, however, by the new Midlothian constituency.

The Edinburgh Leith constituency again covered wards named Central Leith, South Leith, and West Leith, but the overall boundary of the constituency was different.

For the county of Midlothian, inclusive of the city of Edinburgh, the general pattern established by the First Periodical Review was maintained for the general elections of 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, February 1974, October 1974 and 1979. There were boundary adjustments, however, which became effective for the 1964 election and, as a result of the Second Periodical Review, for the February 1974 election.

Edinburgh Leith was not affected by the 1964 changes. For the February 1974 election, the constituency was designed to cover the Central Leith, South Leith, and West Leith wards and part of the Pilton ward of city.

1983 to 1997

The results of the Third Periodical Review, which took account of the abolition of Scottish counties and burghs in 1975 and the creation of two-tier regions and districts and unitary islands council areas under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, were implemented for the 1983 general election, and 1983 boundaries were used also in the general elections of 1987 and 1992.

As a result of the Fourth Periodical Review, Edinburgh Leith was abolish, and Edinburgh North and Leith was created for the 1997 general election.

Member of Parliament

Elections

Election box begin
title=General Election 1992: Edinburgh LeithElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Malcolm Chisholm
votes = 13,790
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Scottish National Party
candidate = Fiona Hyslop
votes = 8,805
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = B. Bin Ashiq Rizvi
votes = 8,496
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Mrs H. Campbell
votes = 4,975
percentage =
change = Election box candidate
party = Independent Labour
candidate = Ron Brown
votes = 4,142
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Natural Law Party
candidate = A. Swan
votes = 196
percentage =
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,985
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 71.3
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

See also

* Politics of Edinburgh

Notes and references