East Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)

East Lothian (/ˈloʊðiən/; Scots: East Lowden; 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.

Not to be confused with East Lothian (Scottish Parliament constituency).

East Lothian
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of East Lothian in Scotland
Major settlementsDunbar, Longniddry, Musselburgh, North Berwick, Prestonpans, Tranent, Haddington
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentKenny MacAskill (Alba Party)
Created fromBerwick and East Lothian, Edinburgh East and Midlothian[1]

The seat is represented by Kenny MacAskill of the Alba Party who was elected as an SNP MP at the 2019 general election, where he unseated the sitting Labour incumbent, Martin Whitfield with a majority of 3,886 votes.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be formally renamed Lothian East, to be first contested at the next general election.[2]

Constituency profile

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

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election. Until the SNP landslide victory in 2015, it had been continuously represented by an MP 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 the Labour Party 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

1983–1997: East Lothian District.

1997–2005: The East Lothian District electoral divisions of Fa'side, Haddington, Luffness, Preston/Levenhall, and Tantallon.

2005–present: East Lothian Council area.

Before the 1983 general election, the area lay in the Berwick and East Lothian constituency.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[7]Party
1983 John Home Robertson Labour
2001 Anne Moffat
2010 Fiona O'Donnell
2015 George Kerevan SNP
2017 Martin Whitfield Labour
2019 Kenny MacAskill SNP
2021 Alba

Elections

Elections in the 2020s
Next general election: East Lothian
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Alba Kenny MacAskill
Labour Co-op Douglas Alexander[8]

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: East Lothian[9][10]
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
General election 2017: East Lothian[11]
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
General election 2015: East Lothian[12][13]
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
General election 2010: East Lothian[14][15]
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
General election 2005: East Lothian[16]
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 New
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
General election 2001: East Lothian[17]
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
General election 1997: East Lothian[18][19]
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
General election 1992: East Lothian[20][21]
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
General election 1987: East Lothian[22][23]
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
General election 1983: East Lothian[24][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Home Robertson 20,934 43.9 -7.4
Conservative Michael Fry 14,693 30.8 -0.9
Liberal M. 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
  1. "'East Lothian', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. Boundary Commission Scotland 2023 Review Report
  3. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=East+Lothian
  4. "Moffat faces deselection after police called to club rebellion". Edinburgh Evening News. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  5. Carrell, Severin (23 March 2010). "Labour party upholds decision to deselect East Lothian MP Anne Moffat". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  6. "Scottish independence referendum - Results - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  7. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
  8. "Douglas Alexander to stand in Scottish seat at general election". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  9. "Notice of Poll". East Lothian Council. East Lothian Council. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  10. "East Lothian parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  11. "Latest candidate announced for General Election". East Lothian Courier.
  12. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. Jones, Matt. "UK Parliamentary General Election". www.eastlothian.gov.uk.
  14. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | East Lothian". news.bbc.co.uk.
  16. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. "Aristotle: East Lothian", Guardian Unlimited
  20. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  22. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  24. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

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