Lothian East (UK Parliament constituency)
Lothian East | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Boundaries since 2024 | |
![]() Location of Lothian East within Scotland | |
Major settlements | Dunbar, Longniddry, North Berwick, Prestonpans, Tranent, Haddington |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 (as East Lothian) |
Member of Parliament | Douglas Alexander (Labour & Co-operative) |
Created from | Berwick and East Lothian, Edinburgh East and Midlothian[1] |
Lothian East (/ˈloʊðiən/; Scots: Lowden East; Scottish Gaelic: Lodainn an Ear) is a constituency in Scotland which returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.
The constituency was formerly known as East Lothian. It was renamed as a result of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.[2] It is first being contested under the new name at the 2024 general election.
Constituency profile
[edit]The seat covers small towns to the east of Edinburgh including Haddington and Dunbar which have good commuting links to the capital city; and a more rural area extending south into the Lammermuir Hills. Residents' health and wealth are around average for the UK.[3]
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/EastLothianConstituency.svg/220px-EastLothianConstituency.svg.png)
The constituency was created for the 1983 general election. Until the SNP landslide victory in 2015, the seat had been continuously represented by MPs from the Labour Party since the constituency's creation 32 years earlier. The East Lothian Constituency Labour Party voted on 22 January 2010 to deselect the previous MP Anne Moffat.[4] The National Executive Committee upheld the decision on 23 March 2010.[5] Fiona O'Donnell was elected in 2010 with an increased majority for Labour compared to 2005. O'Donnell lost her seat to George Kerevan of the SNP at the 2015 general election; who was elected with a majority of 6,803 votes.
From 2015 until the snap general election in 2017, the constituency was represented by George Kerevan of the Scottish National Party; who was defeated by Martin Whitfield of the Labour Party by 3,083 votes. Two years later, at the 2019 general election, Whitfield was defeated by former Scottish National Party MSP and Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. On 26 March 2021, MacAskill defected from the SNP to the Alba Party.
At the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, a majority of voters nationwide opted for Scotland to remain a part of the United Kingdom - with 61.72% of the electorate of East Lothian voting for staying in the United Kingdom and 38.28% voting for independence.[6]
Boundaries
[edit]East Lothian
[edit]1983–1997: East Lothian District.
1997–2005: The East Lothian District electoral divisions of Fa'side, Haddington, Luffness, Preston/Levenhall, and Tantallon.
2005–2024: East Lothian Council area.
Lothian East
[edit]2024–present: East Lothian Council area, except for most of the Musselburgh ward.
Before the 1983 general election, the area lay in the Berwick and East Lothian constituency.
Members of Parliament
[edit]Election | Party | Member[7] | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Labour | John Home Robertson | |
2001 | Anne Moffat | ||
2010 | Fiona O'Donnell | ||
2015 | SNP | George Kerevan | |
2017 | Labour | Martin Whitfield | |
2019 | SNP | Kenny MacAskill | |
2021 | Alba | ||
2024 | Labour | Douglas Alexander |
Elections
[edit]Elections in the 2020s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | Douglas Alexander | 23,555 | 49.2 | +18.7 | |
SNP | Lyn Jardine | 10,290 | 21.5 | –13.3 | |
Conservative | Scott Hamilton | 5,335 | 11.1 | –16.4 | |
Reform UK | Robert Davies | 3,039 | 6.3 | New | |
Liberal Democrats | Duncan Dunlop | 2,649 | 5.5 | –0.8 | |
Scottish Green | Shona McIntosh | 2,477 | 5.2 | New | |
Alba | George Kerevan | 557 | 1.2 | New | |
Majority | 13,265 | 27.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,902 | 63.4 | −8.3 | ||
Registered electors | 75,546 | ||||
Labour Co-op gain from SNP | Swing | +16.0 |
Elections in the 2010s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Kenny MacAskill | 21,156 | 36.2 | +5.6 | |
Labour | Martin Whitfield | 17,270 | 29.5 | −6.6 | |
Conservative | Craig Hoy | 15,523 | 26.5 | −3.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Robert O'Riordan | 4,071 | 7.0 | +3.9 | |
UKIP | David Sisson | 493 | 0.8 | New | |
Majority | 3,886 | 6.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 58,513 | 71.7 | +1.1 | ||
SNP gain from Labour | Swing | +6.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Martin Whitfield | 20,158 | 36.1 | +5.1 | |
SNP | George Kerevan | 17,075 | 30.6 | −11.9 | |
Conservative | Sheila Low | 16,540 | 29.6 | +10.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Elisabeth Wilson | 1,738 | 3.1 | +0.5 | |
Independent | Mike Allan | 367 | 0.7 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 3,083 | 5.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 55,878 | 70.6 | −3.6 | ||
Labour gain from SNP | Swing | +8.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | George Kerevan | 25,104 | 42.5 | +26.5 | |
Labour | Fiona O'Donnell | 18,301 | 31.0 | −13.6 | |
Conservative | David Roach | 11,511 | 19.5 | −0.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Ettie Spencer | 1,517 | 2.6 | −14.3 | |
Scottish Green | Jason Rose | 1,245 | 2.1 | +0.3 | |
UKIP | Oluf Marshall | 1,178 | 2.0 | +0.9 | |
Independent | Mike Allan | 158 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 6,803 | 11.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 59,014 | 74.2 | +7.3 | ||
SNP gain from Labour | Swing | +20.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Fiona O'Donnell | 21,919 | 44.6 | +3.1 | |
Conservative | Michael Veitch | 9,661 | 19.7 | +3.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stuart Ritchie | 8,288 | 16.9 | −7.9 | |
SNP | Andrew Sharp | 7,883 | 16.0 | +2.9 | |
Scottish Green | James Mackenzie | 862 | 1.8 | −0.7 | |
UKIP | Jonathan Lloyd | 548 | 1.1 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 12,258 | 24.9 | +8.2 | ||
Turnout | 49,161 | 66.9 | +2.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −0.3 |
Elections in the 2000s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Anne Moffat | 18,983 | 41.5 | −7.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Chris Butler | 11,363 | 24.8 | +7.6 | |
Conservative | William Stevenson | 7,315 | 16.0 | 0.0 | |
SNP | Paul McLennan | 5,995 | 13.1 | −1.8 | |
Scottish Green | Michael Collie | 1,132 | 2.5 | New | |
Scottish Socialist | Gary Galbraith | 504 | 1.1 | −0.6 | |
UKIP | Eric Robb | 306 | 0.7 | New | |
Christian Vote | William Thompson | 178 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 7,620 | 16.7 | −12.9 | ||
Turnout | 45,776 | 64.5 | +3.6 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −7.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Anne Picking | 17,407 | 47.2 | −5.5 | |
Conservative | Hamish Mair | 6,577 | 17.8 | −2.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Judith Hayman | 6,506 | 17.6 | +7.1 | |
SNP | Hilary Brown | 5,381 | 14.6 | −1.1 | |
Scottish Socialist | Derrick White | 624 | 1.7 | New | |
Socialist Labour | James Herriot | 376 | 1.0 | New | |
Majority | 10,830 | 29.4 | −3.4 | ||
Turnout | 36,871 | 62.5 | −13.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1990s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Home Robertson | 22,881 | 52.7 | +6.2 | |
Conservative | Murdo Fraser | 8,660 | 19.9 | −8.3 | |
SNP | David R. McCarthy | 6,825 | 15.7 | +1.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Alison MacAskill | 4,575 | 10.5 | −0.7 | |
Referendum | Norman S. Nash | 491 | 1.1 | New | |
Majority | 14,221 | 32.8 | +14.5 | ||
Turnout | 43,432 | 75.6 | −6.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Home Robertson | 25,537 | 46.5 | −1.5 | |
Conservative | James P. Hepburne-Scott | 15,501 | 28.2 | −0.1 | |
SNP | George R. Thomson | 7,776 | 14.2 | +6.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Tim McKay | 6,126 | 11.2 | −4.3 | |
Majority | 10,036 | 18.3 | −1.4 | ||
Turnout | 54,940 | 82.4 | +3.7 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | −0.7 |
Elections in the 1980s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Home Robertson | 24,583 | 48.0 | +4.1 | |
Conservative | Stanley Langdon | 14,378 | 28.3 | −2.5 | |
Liberal | Andrew Robinson | 7,929 | 15.5 | −5.4 | |
SNP | Alexander Burgon-Lyon | 3,727 | 7.3 | +2.9 | |
Green | Angus Marland | 451 | 0.9 | New | |
Majority | 10,105 | 19.7 | +6.6 | ||
Turnout | 51,068 | 78.7 | +2.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Home Robertson | 20,934 | 43.9 | −7.4 | |
Conservative | Michael Fry | 14,693 | 30.8 | −0.9 | |
Liberal | Michael Kibby | 9,950 | 20.9 | +12.4 | |
SNP | Roger Knox | 2,083 | 4.4 | −4.1 | |
Majority | 6,241 | 13.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,660 | 76.4 | N/A | ||
Labour win (new seat) |
References
[edit]- ^ "'East Lothian', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ Boundary Commission Scotland 2023 Review Report
- ^ "Seat Details - East Lothian". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Moffat faces deselection after police called to club rebellion". Edinburgh Evening News. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ Carrell, Severin (23 March 2010). "Labour party upholds decision to deselect East Lothian MP Anne Moffat". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
- ^ "Scottish independence referendum - Results - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
- ^ "Lothian East results". BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "UK General Election Results - 4 July 2024". East Lothian Council. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Notice of Poll". East Lothian Council. East Lothian Council. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ "East Lothian parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
- ^ "Latest candidate announced for General Election". East Lothian Courier.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ Jones, Matt. "UK Parliamentary General Election". www.eastlothian.gov.uk.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Election 2010 | Constituency | East Lothian". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Aristotle: East Lothian", Guardian Unlimited
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
External links
[edit]- East Lothian UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2005 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Lothian East UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK