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Edinburgh West (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Edinburgh West is a constituency
of the Scottish Parliament
(Holyrood
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, however, it is one of nine constituencies in the Lothians electoral region
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation
for the region as a whole.
From the Scottish Parliament election, 2011, Edinburgh West is to be re-drawn and re-named Edinburgh Western
.
The other eight constituencies of the Lothians region are Edinburgh Central
, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
, Edinburgh North and Leith
, Edinburgh Pentlands
, Edinburgh South
, Linlithgow
, Livingston
and Midlothian
.
The region covers the City of Edinburgh council area, the West Lothian council area
, part of the Midlothian council area
, and part of the East Lothian council area
.
, with the name and boundaries of an existing Westminster constituency
. In 2005
, however, Scottish Westminster (House of Commons) constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies.
The Holyrood constituency covers a western portion of the City of Edinburgh council area. The rest of the city area is covered by five other constituencies, all also in the Lothians electoral region: Edinburgh North and Leith
, Edinburgh Central
, Edinburgh Pentlands
, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
and Edinburgh South
,
Edinburgh West has boundaries with the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency, the Edinburgh Central constituency, and the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency.
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh also covers the Musselburgh
portion of the East Lothian council area. The rest of the East Lothian area is covered by the East Lothian
constituency, which is in the South of Scotland electoral region.
, Dalmeny
and Kirkliston
, Davidson's Mains
, East Craigs
, Gyle
, Muirhouse
and Drylaw
, Murrayfield
, North East Corstorphine
, South Queensferry
, South East Corstorphine, and Stenhouse, part of the Craigleith
ward, which is split with Edinburgh Central, and part of the Pilton ward
, which is split with Edinburgh North and Leith
. The wards were created in 1999, at the same time as the constituency, and are due to be replaced with new wards in 2007, without change to constituency boundaries.
From the 2011 election, Edinburgh West is to be redrawn and renamed "Edinburgh Western". The electoral wards used in this seat are;
, Davidson's Mains
, East Craigs
, Gyle, Murrayfield
, Ratho
, South Queensferry
, a part of the Craigleith
area and a part of the Pilton
area.
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(Holyrood
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, however, it is one of nine constituencies in the Lothians electoral region
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
for the region as a whole.
From the Scottish Parliament election, 2011, Edinburgh West is to be re-drawn and re-named Edinburgh Western
Edinburgh Western (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Western is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
.
Electoral region
- See also Lothians Scottish Parliament region
The other eight constituencies of the Lothians region are Edinburgh Central
Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Central is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh North and Leith
Edinburgh North and Leith (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh North and Leith is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh Pentlands
Edinburgh Pentlands (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Pentlands is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh South was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Linlithgow
Linlithgow (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Linlithgow is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Livingston
Livingston (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Livingston was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election....
and Midlothian
Midlothian (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Midlothian is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
.
The region covers the City of Edinburgh council area, the West Lothian council area
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, part of the Midlothian council area
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, and part of the East Lothian council area
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
.
Constituency boundaries and council area
The Edinburgh West constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
, with the name and boundaries of an existing Westminster constituency
Edinburgh West (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , first used in the 1885 general election...
. In 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, however, Scottish Westminster (House of Commons) constituencies were mostly replaced with new constituencies.
The Holyrood constituency covers a western portion of the City of Edinburgh council area. The rest of the city area is covered by five other constituencies, all also in the Lothians electoral region: Edinburgh North and Leith
Edinburgh North and Leith (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh North and Leith is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh Central
Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Central is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh Pentlands
Edinburgh Pentlands (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh Pentlands is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
and Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh South was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
,
Edinburgh West has boundaries with the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency, the Edinburgh Central constituency, and the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency.
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh also covers the Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
portion of the East Lothian council area. The rest of the East Lothian area is covered by the East Lothian
East Lothian (Scottish Parliament constituency)
East Lothian is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
constituency, which is in the South of Scotland electoral region.
Wards
Edinburgh West includes the wards of CramondCramond
Cramond is a seaside village now part of suburban Edinburgh, Scotland, located in the north-west corner of the city at the mouth of the River Almond where it enters the Firth of Forth....
, Dalmeny
Dalmeny
Dalmeny is a suburban village and civil parish in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on the south side of the Firth of Forth, east-southeast of South Queensferry and west-northwest of central Edinburgh; it falls under the local governance of the City of Edinburgh Council.The name Dalmeny is...
and Kirkliston
Kirkliston
Kirkliston is a village and civil parish within the City of Edinburgh in Scotland. It sits on the historic route between Edinburgh and Queensferry, the gateway to Fife and the north. Today, it is bypassed by the A90...
, Davidson's Mains
Davidson's Mains
Davidsons Mains is a former village which is now a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is adjacent to the areas of Barnton, Cramond, Silverknowes, Blackhall and Corbiehill/House O'Hill...
, East Craigs
East Craigs
East Craigs is a residential district of Edinburgh located in the north-west of the city. It lies next to the green belt, and prior to development was a working farm. Development of the area began in 1922 when East Craigs Farm was purchased by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency as a centre...
, Gyle
South Gyle
South Gyle is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, lying on the western edge of the city and to the south and west of an area of former marshland once known as the Gogarloch, on the edge of Corstorphine. To the north, some streets in the area have names including the words "North Gyle" but North Gyle...
, Muirhouse
Muirhouse
Muirhouse is a district in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is west of Granton and the housing estates of East Pilton and West Pilton, and East of Davidsons Mains...
and Drylaw
Drylaw
Drylaw is a suburb in the north west of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland between Blackhall and Granton. Formerly the estate of Drylaw House, the home of the Loch family, the area became the site of a major housing scheme in the 1950s designed to rehouse the occupants in Leith. It is on the A902...
, Murrayfield
Murrayfield
Murrayfield is an affluent area in the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and west of Roseburn. The A8 road runs east-west through the north of the area....
, North East Corstorphine
Corstorphine
Corstorphine was originally a village to the west of—and separate from—Edinburgh, Scotland, and is now a suburb of that city.Corstorphine retains a busy main street with many independent small shops, although a number have closed in recent years since the opening of several retail parks...
, South Queensferry
South Queensferry
South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...
, South East Corstorphine, and Stenhouse, part of the Craigleith
Craigleith, Edinburgh
Craigleith is a district of north Edinburgh, Scotland. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Creag liath meaning 'grey rock' which was obtained from Craigleith quarry. Much of the Craigleith sandstone was used to build the old and new town houses in Edinburgh as well as many famous buildings...
ward, which is split with Edinburgh Central, and part of the Pilton ward
Pilton, Edinburgh
Pilton is a residential district of northern Edinburgh, Scotland. It is to the north of Ferry Road and west of Granton....
, which is split with Edinburgh North and Leith
Edinburgh North and Leith
Edinburgh North and Leith may refer to:*Edinburgh North and Leith *Edinburgh North and Leith...
. The wards were created in 1999, at the same time as the constituency, and are due to be replaced with new wards in 2007, without change to constituency boundaries.
From the 2011 election, Edinburgh West is to be redrawn and renamed "Edinburgh Western". The electoral wards used in this seat are;
- In full: Almond, Drum Brae/Gyle
- In part: Forth, Inverleith, Corstorphine/Murrayfield
Constituency profile
Edinburgh West is mostly suburban, but takes in rural areas to the west. It includes CramondCramond
Cramond is a seaside village now part of suburban Edinburgh, Scotland, located in the north-west corner of the city at the mouth of the River Almond where it enters the Firth of Forth....
, Davidson's Mains
Davidson's Mains
Davidsons Mains is a former village which is now a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is adjacent to the areas of Barnton, Cramond, Silverknowes, Blackhall and Corbiehill/House O'Hill...
, East Craigs
East Craigs
East Craigs is a residential district of Edinburgh located in the north-west of the city. It lies next to the green belt, and prior to development was a working farm. Development of the area began in 1922 when East Craigs Farm was purchased by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency as a centre...
, Gyle, Murrayfield
Murrayfield
Murrayfield is an affluent area in the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and west of Roseburn. The A8 road runs east-west through the north of the area....
, Ratho
Ratho
Ratho is a village and civil parish in the west of Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. It was formerly in the old county of Midlothian. Newbridge and Kirkliston are other villages in the area. The Union Canal passes through Ratho. Edinburgh Airport is situated only 4 miles ...
, South Queensferry
South Queensferry
South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...
, a part of the Craigleith
Craigleith, Edinburgh
Craigleith is a district of north Edinburgh, Scotland. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Creag liath meaning 'grey rock' which was obtained from Craigleith quarry. Much of the Craigleith sandstone was used to build the old and new town houses in Edinburgh as well as many famous buildings...
area and a part of the Pilton
Pilton, Edinburgh
Pilton is a residential district of northern Edinburgh, Scotland. It is to the north of Ferry Road and west of Granton....
area.
Members of the Scottish Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Scottish Parliament election, 1999 The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members... |
Margaret Smith Margaret Smith (Scottish politician) Margaret Smith is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and former MSP for Edinburgh West, a seat she held from the 1999 election until the 2011 election. She was the Scottish Liberal Democrats' Education Spokesperson.... |
Liberal Democrat Scottish Liberal Democrats The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England... |
|
| 2003 Scottish Parliament election, 2003 The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive... |
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| 2007 Scottish Parliament election, 2007 The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999... |
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