Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)

{{See also|Lothian (Scottish Parliament electoral region)}}

The other eight constituencies of the Lothian region are: Almond Valley, Edinburgh Eastern, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Edinburgh Pentlands, Edinburgh Southern, Edinburgh Western, Linlithgow and Midlothian North and Musselburgh.

The region includes all of the City of Edinburgh council area, parts of the East Lothian council area, parts of the Midlothian council area and all of the West Lothian council area.

{{maplink|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency)}}|frame=yes|frame-height=250|text=Map of boundaries from 2011}}

Edinburgh is represented in the Scottish Parliament by six constituencies: Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh Eastern, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Edinburgh Pentlands, Edinburgh Southern and Edinburgh Western.

The Edinburgh Central constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, 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.See [http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/ The 5th Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921124603/http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/|date=September 21, 2007 }}

As part of the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries the boundaries of the constituency were changed before the 2011 Scottish Parliament election. Each electoral ward used in the creation of the redrawn Central is split, shared with neighbouring constituencies.{{cite web|url=https://boundaries.scot/sites/default/files/1st_SP_Review_Report.pdf|title=First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries Final Report|page=138|publisher=Boundaries Scotland|access-date=5 July 2021|date=May 2010}}

• Inverleith (shared with Edinburgh Northern and Leith and Edinburgh Western)
• Corstorphine/Murrayfield (shared with Edinburgh Western)
• Sighthill/Gorgie (shared with Edinburgh Pentlands and Edinburgh Southern)
• Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart (shared with Edinburgh Southern)
• Morningside (shared with Edinburgh Southern)
• City Centre (shared with Edinburgh Eastern)
• Southside/Newington (shared with Southern)

The Edinburgh Central constituency is situated in the central-north of the City of Edinburgh. The constituency is a major tourist, financial and retail centre, covering Edinburgh's Old and New Towns, Princes Street, Haymarket, Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Castle and the Scottish Parliament building itself.

The north and west of the constituency is very affluent, covering Victorian suburbs such as Craigleith, Murrayfield, Stockbridge and Orchard Brae, in addition to Edinburgh's well-off West End. There is some deprivation towards the south and east of the constituency around Dalry, Dumbiedykes and in patches of Edinburgh's Old Town, although overall the constituency is very affluent.{{cite web|url=http://simd.scot/2016/|title=SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) 2016|website=Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2016}}

In the 2007 City of Edinburgh local council election, the Liberal Democrats emerged as the largest party in wards covered by the Edinburgh Central constituency. In the 2012 local election, the Conservatives and Scottish National Party formed the two largest parties in the area. The Conservatives were ahead in 6 of the 8 electoral wards covering the Edinburgh Central constituency in the 2017 City of Edinburgh local council election.

Traditionally this constituency has been represented by the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats forming the main opposition. From the formation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 until the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the constituency of Edinburgh Central was represented by Labour's Sarah Boyack. With a re-arrangement of the constituency boundaries in 2011, which would have been won by the Liberal Democrats in 2007, the constituency narrowly returned the SNP's Marco Biagi, who gained the constituency with a slender majority of 237 votes. In 2016 the Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Ruth Davidson, gained the constituency from the SNP with a majority of 610 votes. No candidate has ever won over 40% of the vote in the constituency since its establishment.

In the UK Parliament, the Edinburgh Central constituency was represented by the Labour Party almost continuously from the 1945 UK general election until the constituency was abolished in 2005, voting Conservative once in 1983.

{{AMS election box begin

|title = 2021 Scottish Parliament election: Edinburgh Central{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/29419/edinburgh-central-constituency-results|title=Edinburgh Central constituency results|website=City of Edinburgh Council|date=6 May 2021|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/29413/edinburgh-central-regional-results|title=Edinburgh Central regional results|website=City of Edinburgh Council|date=6 May 2021|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2021/scotland/constituencies/S16000104|title=Constituencies A-Z: Edinburgh Central|website=BBC News|access-date=7 May 2021}}

|constituency_type = Constituency

|list_type = Regional

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Angus Robertson

|votes = 16,276

|percentage = 39.0

|change = {{increase}}10.4

|list_votes = 12,476

|list_percentage = 29.9

|list_change = {{increase}}3.7

|winner = yes

|list_winner = yes

|status =

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|candidate = Scott Douglas

|votes = 11,544

|percentage = 27.7

|change = {{decrease}}2.7

|list_votes = 9,766

|list_percentage = 23.4

|list_change = {{decrease}}5.7

|winner =

|list_winner =

|status =

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{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Labour

|candidate = Maddy Kirkman

|votes = 6,839

|percentage = 16.4

|change = {{decrease}}5.7

|list_votes = 6,866

|list_percentage = 16.4

|list_change = {{decrease}}0.8

|winner =

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{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Greens

|candidate = Alison Johnstone

|votes = 3,921

|percentage = 9.4

|change = {{decrease}}4.2

|list_votes = 7,604

|list_percentage = 18.2

|list_change = {{increase}}1.2

|winner =

|list_winner =

|status = list incumbent

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{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|candidate = Bruce Wilson

|votes = 2,555

|percentage = 6.1

|change = {{increase}}1.2

|list_votes = 3,075

|list_percentage = 7.4

|list_change = {{increase}}1.4

|winner =

|list_winner =

|status =

}}

{{AMS election box with constituency party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Bonnie Prince Bob

|votes = 363

|percentage = 0.9

|change = New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Alba Party

|list_votes = 639

|list_percentage = 1.5

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = All for Unity

|list_votes = 279

|list_percentage = 0.7

|list_change = New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Animal Welfare Party

|list_votes = 179

|list_percentage = 0.4

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Women's Equality Party

|list_votes = 161

|list_percentage = 0.4

|list_change = {{down}}1.8

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Scottish Family Party

|list_votes = 154

|list_percentage = 0.4

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Freedom Alliance (UK)

|list_votes = 102

|list_percentage = 0.2

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Libertarian Party

|candidate = Tam Laird

|votes = 137

|percentage = 0.3

|change = {{steady}}0.0

|list_votes = 93

|list_percentage = 0.2

|list_change = New

|winner =

|list_winner =

|status =

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Communist Party of Britain

|list_votes = 90

|list_percentage = 0.2

|list_change = New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Reform UK

|list_votes = 88

|list_percentage = 0.2

|list_change = New

}}

{{AMS election box independent

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Ashley Graczyk

|list_votes = 75

|list_percentage = 0.2

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party

|list_votes = 48

|list_percentage = 0.1

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990–present)

|list_votes = 33

|list_percentage = 0.1

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = UK Independence Party

|candidate = Donald Mackay

|votes = 78

|percentage = 0.2

|change = New

|list_votes = 30

|list_percentage = 0.1

|list_change ={{down}}1.1

|winner =

|list_winner =

|status =

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Renew Party

|list_votes = 18

|list_percentage = 0.0

|list_change =New

}}

{{AMS election box majority

|votes = 4,732

|percentage = 11.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{AMS election box valid votes

|votes =41,713

|list_votes = 41,776

}}

{{AMS election box invalid votes

|votes = 121

|list_votes = 59

}}

{{AMS election box turnout

|votes = 41,834

|percentage = 62.7

|change = {{increase}}5.2

|list_votes = 41,835

|list_percentage = 62.7

|list_change = {{increase}}5.2

}}

{{AMS election box gain|

|winner = Scottish National Party

|loser = Scottish Conservatives

|swing = {{up}}6.6

}}

{{AMS election box end|notes=yes}}

{{AMS election box begin

|title = 2016 Scottish Parliament election: Edinburgh Central{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/25134/central-msp-constituency-results-2016|title=Edinburgh Central Constituency|website=City of Edinburgh Council|date=5 May 2016|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/25144/lothian-region-full-results-2016|title=Lothian regional results|website=City of Edinburgh Council|date=5 May 2016|access-date=5 July 2021}}

|constituency_type = Constituency

|list_type = Regional

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|candidate = Ruth Davidson

|votes = 10,399

|percentage = 30.4

|change = {{increase}}15.4

|list_votes = 9,946

|list_percentage = 29.1

|list_change ={{up}}13.2

|winner = yes

|list_winner = yes

|status=list_incumbent

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Alison Dickie

|votes = 9,789

|percentage = 28.6

|change = {{decrease}}4.1

|list_votes = 8,962

|list_percentage = 26.2

|list_change = {{down}}3.8

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Labour

|candidate = Sarah Boyack

|votes = 7,546

|percentage = 22.1

|change = {{decrease}}9.8

|list_votes = 5,899

|list_percentage = 17.3

|list_change = {{down}}2.3

|status=list_incumbent

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Greens

|candidate = Alison Johnstone

|votes = 4,644

|percentage = 13.6

|change = New

|list_votes = 5,799

|list_percentage = 17.0

|list_change = {{up}}2.6

|status=list_candidate

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|candidate = Hannah Bettsworth

|votes = 1,672

|percentage = 4.9

|change = {{decrease}}15.6

|list_votes = 2,048

|list_percentage = 6.0

|list_change = {{down}}3.7

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Women's Equality Party

|list_votes = 743

|list_percentage = 2.2

|list_change = New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = UK Independence Party

|list_votes = 395

|list_percentage = 1.2

|list_change = {{up}}0.6

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = RISE - Scotland's Left Alliance

|list_votes = 284

|list_percentage = 0.8

|list_change = New

}}

{{AMS election box with constituency party link|

|party = Scottish Libertarian Party

|candidate = Tom Laird

|votes = 119

|percentage = 0.3

|change = New

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Solidarity (Scotland)

|list_votes = 90

|list_percentage = 0.3

|list_change ={{up}}0.1

}}

{{AMS election box majority

|votes = 610

|percentage = 1.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{AMS election box valid votes

|votes =34,169

|list_votes = 34,166

}}

{{AMS election box invalid votes

|votes = 107

|list_votes = 68

}}

{{AMS election box turnout

|votes = 34,276

|percentage = 57.5

|change = {{up}}3.0

|list_votes = 34,234

|list_percentage = 57.5

|list_change = {{up}}2.8

}}

{{AMS election box gain|

|winner = Scottish Conservatives

|loser = Scottish National Party

|swing =

}}

{{AMS election box end|notes=yes}}

{{AMS election box begin |

title=2011 Scottish Parliament election: Edinburgh Central{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/23328/central-msp-constituency-results-2011|title=Central MSP Constituency Results 2011|website=City of Edinburgh Council|date=5 May 2016|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/23327/2011-results-of-regional-list|title=2011 Results of Regional List|website=City of Edinburgh Council|date=5 May 2016|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/scottish-parliamentary-elections/results-and-turnout-2011-scottish-parliament-election|title=Results and turnout at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election|access-date=3 June 2021|publisher=Electoral Commission}}

|constituency_type = Constituency

|list_type = Region

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Marco Biagi

|votes = 9,480

|percentage = 32.7

|change = N/A

|list_votes = 8,768

|list_percentage = 30.0

|list_change = N/A

|list_winner=yes

|winner=yes

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Labour

|candidate = Sarah Boyack

|votes = 9,243

|percentage = 31.9

|change=N/A

|list_votes = 5,716

|list_percentage = 19.6

|list_change = N/A

|status=incumbent

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|candidate = Alex Cole-Hamilton

|votes = 5,937

|percentage = 20.5

|change=N/A

|list_votes = 2,849

|list_percentage = 9.7

|list_change = N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with party link

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|candidate = Iain McGill

|votes = 4,354

|percentage = 15.0

|change=N/A

|list_votes = 4,659

|list_percentage = 15.9

|list_change = N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Scottish Greens

|list_votes =4,213

|list_percentage =14.4

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box independent

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Margo MacDonald

|list_votes = 1,988

|list_percentage =6.8

|list_change =N/A

|status=list_incumbent

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = All-Scotland Pensioners Party

|list_votes =236

|list_percentage =0.8

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = UKIP

|list_votes =182

|list_percentage =0.6

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Scottish Socialist Party

|list_votes =145

|list_percentage =0.5

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)

|list_votes =105

|list_percentage =0.4

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = British National Party

|list_votes =97

|list_percentage =0.3

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)

|list_votes =71

|list_percentage =0.2

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Scottish Christian Party

|list_votes =68

|list_percentage =0.2

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Christian Peoples Alliance

|list_votes =44

|list_percentage =0.2

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box with list party link

|party = Solidarity (Scotland)

|list_votes =46

|list_percentage =0.2

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box independent

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Ken O'Neil

|list_votes = 24

|list_percentage =0.1

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box independent

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = David Hogg

|list_votes = 14

|list_percentage =0.0

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box independent

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Mev Brown

|list_votes = 5

|list_percentage =0.0

|list_change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box majority|

|votes = 237

|percentage = 0.8

|change =N/A

}}

{{AMS election box valid votes

|votes =29,014

|list_votes = 29,230

}}

{{AMS election box invalid votes

|votes = 224

|list_votes = 90

}}

{{AMS election box turnout|

|votes = 29,238

|percentage = 54.5

|change=N/A

|list_votes = 29,320

|list_percentage =54.7

|list_change=N/A

}}

{{AMS election box win

|winner = Scottish National Party

|reason=boundaries

}}

{{AMS election box end|notes=yes}}

{{Election box begin | title=2007 Scottish Parliament election: Edinburgh Central}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Labour

|candidate = Sarah Boyack

|votes = 9,155

|percentage = 31.1

|change = -1.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|candidate = Siobhan Mathers

|votes = 7,962

|percentage = 27.1

|change = +4.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Shirley-Anne Somerville

|votes = 7,496

|percentage = 25.5

|change = +7.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|candidate = Fiona Houston

|votes = 4,783

|percentage = 16.3

|change = -0.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,193

|percentage = 4.0

|change = -5.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 29,396

|percentage = 52.9

|change = +6.8

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Scottish Labour

|swing = -2.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=2003 Scottish Parliament election: Edinburgh Central}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Labour

|candidate = Sarah Boyack

|votes = 9,066

|percentage = 32.4

|change = −5.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|candidate = Andy Myles

|votes = 6,400

|percentage = 22.9

|change = +6.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Kevin Pringle

|votes = 4,965

|percentage = 17.7

|change = −8.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|candidate = Peter Finnie

|votes = 4,802

|percentage = 17.1

|change = +1.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Socialist Party

|candidate = Catriona Grant

|votes = 2,552

|percentage = 9.1

|change = +6.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Scottish Peoples Alliance

|candidate = James O'Neill

|votes = 229

|percentage = 0.8

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 2,666

|percentage = 9.5

|change = −2.9

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 28,014

|percentage = 46.1

|change = −10.6

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Scottish Labour

|swing = -6.0

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=1999 Scottish Parliament election: Edinburgh Central}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Scottish Labour

|candidate = Sarah Boyack

|votes = 14,224

|percentage = 38.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Scottish National Party

|candidate = Ian McKee

|votes = 9,598

|percentage = 25.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Scottish Liberal Democrats

|candidate = Andy Myles

|votes = 6,187

|percentage = 16.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Scottish Conservatives

|candidate = Jacqui Low

|votes = 6,018

|percentage = 16.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Scottish Socialist Party

|candidate = Kevin Williamson

|votes = 830

|percentage = 2.2

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 4,626

|percentage = 12.4

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|votes = 36,857

|percentage = 56.7

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = Scottish Labour

}}

{{Election box end}}

• Politics of Edinburgh

• {{cite web|url=https://boundaries.scot/sites/default/files/Edinburgh_Central.pdf|title=Edinburgh Central constituency map|publisher=Boundaries Scotland|access-date=5 July 2021}}

{{Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions 2011-}}

{{Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions 1999-2011}}

Category:Constituencies of the Scottish Parliament

Category:Constituencies in Edinburgh

Category:1999 establishments in Scotland

Category:Constituencies established in 1999

Category:Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions 1999–2011

Category:Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions from 2011

Category:Gorgie

Category:Old Town, Edinburgh

Category:New Town, Edinburgh