Lothians (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

The Lothians was one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) from 1999 to 2011. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies were sub-divisions of the region and it elected seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Thus it elected a total of 16 MSPs.

Lothians
Former electoral region
for the Scottish Parliament
Lothians shown within Scotland
Former electoral region
Created1999
Abolished2011
Council areasCity of Edinburgh
East Lothian (part)
Midlothian (part)
West Lothian
ConstituenciesEdinburgh Central
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
Edinburgh Pentlands
Edinburgh South
Edinburgh West
Linlithgow
Livingston
Midlothian
Replaced byLothian

The Lothians region shared boundaries with the South of Scotland and Central Scotland regions, and was connected with the Mid Scotland and Fife region by bridges over the Firth of Forth.

As a result of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries it is largely replaced by the Lothian region.

Constituencies and council areas

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The council areas City of Edinburgh and West Lothian are entirely within the region. Most of the East Lothian council area is outside, covered by the East Lothian constituency, which is in the South of Scotland region. A western portion of the Midlothian council area is covered by the Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale constituency, within the South of Scotland region.

Council areas are as defined in 1996, and may be subject to change after the next Scottish Parliament election.

The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies, as existing in at that time. Scottish Westminster constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies in 2005.[1]

In terms of first past the post constituencies the region includes:

Map Constituency
 
  1. Edinburgh Central
    covers the central area of the City of Edinburgh.
  2. Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
    covers north east of the City of Edinburgh and the Musselburgh area of East Lothian.
  3. Edinburgh North and Leith
    covers the northern part of the City of Edinburgh.
  4. Edinburgh Pentlands
    covers the south western portion of the City of Edinburgh.
  5. Edinburgh South
    covers the south eastern portion of the City of Edinburgh.
  6. Edinburgh West
    covers the north western portion of the City of Edinburgh.
  7. Linlithgow
    covers the eastern part of the West Lothian.
  8. Livingston
    covers the western part of the West Lothian.
  9. Midlothian
    covers the eastern part of Midlothian.

Members of the Scottish Parliament

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The table below displays the Members of the Scottish Parliament that were elected from the Lothians region between 1999 and 2011. From the 2011 election the Lothian region was used.

Constituency MSPs

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Term Election Midlothian Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Edinburgh Central Edinburgh North and Leith Edinburgh Pentlands Edingburgh South Edinburgh West Linlithgow Livingston
1st 1999 Rhona Brankin
(Labour)
Susan Deacon
(Labour)
Sarah Boyack
(Labour)
Malcolm Chisholm
(Labour)
Iain Gray
(Labour)
Angus MacKay
(Labour)
Margaret Smith
(LD)
Mary Mulligan
(Labour)
Bristow Muldoon
(Labour)
2nd 2003 David McLetchie
(Conservative)
Mike Pringle
(LD)
3rd 2007 Kenny MacAskill
(SNP)
Angela Constance
(SNP)

Regional List MSPs

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N.B. This table is for presentation purposes only

Parliament MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP MSP
1st
(1999–2003)
Margo MacDonald
(SNP)
Fiona Hyslop
(SNP)
Kenny MacAskill
(SNP)
David Steel
(Lib Dem)
James Douglas-Hamilton
(Conservative)
David McLetchie
(Conservative)
Robin Harper
(Green)
2nd
(2003–07)
Margo MacDonald
(Ind)
Colin Fox
(Socialist)
Mark Ballard
(Green)
3rd
(2007–11)
Ian McKee
(SNP)
Stefan Tymkewycz
(SNP)
Gavin Brown
(Conservative)
George Foulkes
(Labour)
Shirley-Anne Somerville
(SNP)

Election results

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2007 Scottish Parliament election

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In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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2007 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians
Constituency Elected member Result
Edinburgh Central Sarah Boyack Labour hold
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Kenny MacAskill SNP gain from Labour
Edinburgh North and Leith Malcolm Chisholm Labour hold
Edinburgh Pentlands David McLetchie Conservative hold
Edinburgh South Mike Pringle Liberal Democrats hold
Edinburgh West Margaret Smith Liberal Democrats hold
Linlithgow Mary Mulligan Labour hold
Livingston Angela Constance SNP gain from Labour
Midlothian Rhona Brankin Labour hold

Additional member results

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2007 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
SNP Fiona Hyslop
Ian McKee
Stefan Tymkewycz
3 +1 76,019 26.5 +10.2
Labour George Foulkes 1 +1 75,495 26.3 +0.8
Conservative Gavin Brown 1 ±0 37,548 13.1 -2.0
Liberal Democrats 0 ±0 36,571 12.7 +1.7
Scottish Green Robin Harper 1 -1 20,147 7.0 -5.0
Independent Margo MacDonald 1 ±0 19,256 6.7 -3.5
Scottish Senior Citizens 0 ±0 4,176 1.4 N/A
Solidarity 0 ±0 2,998 1.0 N/A
BNP 0 ±0 2,637 0.9 N/A
Socialist Labour 0 ±0 2,190 0.8 -0.1
Scottish Christian 0 ±0 2,002 0.7 N/A
Scottish Socialist 0 -1 1,994 0.7 -4.7
Publican Party 0 ±0 1,230 0.4 N/A
Witchery Tour Party 0 ±0 867 0.3 -0.1
CPA 0 ±0 848 0.3 N/A
UKIP 0 ±0 834 0.3 -0.1
Had Enough Party 0 ±0 670 0.2 N/A
Scottish Voice 0 ±0 661 0.2 N/A
Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers 0 ±0 322 0.1 N/A
Independent 0 ±0 189 0.1 N/A
Scottish Enterprise 0 ±0 183 0.1 N/A
Independent 0 ±0 129 0.0 N/A
Independent 0 ±0 73 0.0 N/A

Changes:

2003 Scottish Parliament election

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In the 2003 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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2003 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians
Constituency Elected member Result
Edinburgh Central Sarah Boyack Labour hold
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Susan Deacon Labour hold
Edinburgh North and Leith Malcolm Chisholm Labour hold
Edinburgh Pentlands David McLetchie Conservative gain from Labour
Edinburgh South Mike Pringle Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
Edinburgh West Margaret Smith Liberal Democrats hold
Linlithgow Mary Mulligan Labour hold
Livingston Bristow Muldoon Labour hold
Midlothian Rhona Brankin Labour hold

Additional member results

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2003 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Labour 0 0 65,098 24.5 -5.7
SNP Kenny MacAskill
Fiona Hyslop
2 −1 43,142 16.2 -9.5
Conservative James Douglas-Hamilton 1 −1 40,173 15.1 -0.6
Scottish Green Robin Harper
Mark Ballard
2 +1 31,908 12.0 +5.1
Liberal Democrats 0 −1 29,237 11.0 -3.4
Independent Margo MacDonald 1 +1 27,143 10.2 N/A
Scottish Socialist Colin Fox 1 +1 14,448 5.4 +3.8
Scottish Pensioners Party 0 0 5,609 2.1 N/A
Liberal 0 0 2,573 1.0 +0.4
Socialist Labour 0 0 2,181 0.8 -2.5
UKIP 0 0 1,057 0.4 N/A
Witchery Tour Party 0 0 964 0.4
Scottish People's 0 0 879 0.3 N/A
ProLife Alliance 0 0 608 0.2 N/A
Independent 0 0 383 0.1 N/A
Independent 0 0 184 0.1 N/A
Independent 0 0 78 0.0 N/A

1999 Scottish Parliament election

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In the 1999 Scottish Parliament election the region elected MSPs as follows:

Constituency results

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1999 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians
Constituency Elected member Result
Edinburgh Central Sarah Boyack Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Susan Deacon Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Edinburgh North and Leith Malcolm Chisholm Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Edinburgh Pentlands Iain Gray Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Edinburgh South Angus Mackay Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Edinburgh West Margaret Smith Scottish Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Linlithgow Mary Mulligan Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Livingston Bristow Muldoon Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)
Midlothian Rhona Brankin Scottish Labour Party win (new seat)

Additional member results

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1999 Scottish Parliament election: Lothians
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Labour 0 N/A 99,098 30.2 N/A
SNP Margo MacDonald
Kenny MacAskill
Fiona Hyslop
3 N/A 85,085 25.7 N/A
Conservative David McLetchie
James Douglas-Hamilton
2 N/A 52,067 15.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Steel 1 N/A 47,565 14.4 N/A
Scottish Green Robin Harper 1 N/A 22,848 6.9 N/A
Socialist Labour 0 N/A 10,895 3.3 N/A
Scottish Socialist 0 N/A 5,237 1.6 N/A
Liberal 0 N/A 2,056 0.6 N/A
Witchery Tour Party 0 N/A 1,184 0.4 N/A
ProLife Alliance 0 N/A 898 0.3 N/A
Civil Rights Movement 0 N/A 806 0.2 N/A
Natural Law 0 N/A 564 0.2 N/A
Independent 0 N/A 557 0.2 N/A
Socialist (GB) 0 N/A 388 0.1 N/A
Independent 0 N/A 256 0.1 N/A
Independent 0 N/A 145 0.04 N/A
Independent 0 N/A 54 0.02 N/A

Footnotes

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