Election 97

Edinburgh West

Current MP Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Conservative 97 13,325
Labour 97 8,948
LibDem 97 20,578
Nationalist 97 4,210
Other 97 293
Elected party
Edinburgh West

Robert Waller wrote
Old constituency Edinburgh West
Conservative 92 19,715
Labour 92 8,961
LibDem 92 15,424
Nationalist 92 6,471
Other 92 1,027
Elected party Conservative

In the last three general elections - 1983, 1987 and 1992 - Edinburgh West has seen some of the closest battles in Scotland. The Conservative MP, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, has held off Donald Gorrie's Liberal (Democrat) challenge successively by just 498 votes, then 1,234, then 879 in 1992. No wonder they call him 'Lucky Jimmy'!

The western constituency in Scotland's capital consists mainly of attractive and affluent housing areas such as Barnton, Cramond and Corstorphine, the catchment areas for some of Edinburgh's best schools. It also includes Pilton, one of the most notorious council estates in the capital, which has had a drug problem which would rival that to be found in any of Glasgow's areas of multiple deprivation. However Labour are firmly in third place in West, which is right at the top of The Liberal Democrat target list in Scotland.

Unfortunately for Donald Gorrie - trying again for the fifth time here - boundary changes, taking the seat even further to the west to include Queensferry, do not help the Lib Dems at all, increasing the Tory majority to over 4,000. Perhaps 'Lucky Jimmy' will be fortunate once again.


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