Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1955 onwards

Not to be confused with Midlothian (Scottish Parliament constituency).

For the historical constituency, see Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency, 1708–1918).

Midlothian

County constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundaries since 2005

Location of Midlothian within Scotland

Subdivisions of Scotland| Midlothian
Electorate| 71,210 (March 2020)[1]
Major settlements| Dalkeith, Gorebridge, Newtongrange, Penicuik, Bonnyrigg
Current constituency
Created| 1955
Member of Parliament| Kirsty McNeill (Labour)
Created from| Midlothian and Peeblesshire

Midlothian in Scotland is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post voting system. The seat has been represented since 2024 by Kirsty McNeill of Scottish Labour.

It replaced Midlothian and Peeblesshire at the 1955 general election. A similar constituency, also called Midlothian, was used by the Scottish Parliament until 2011.

## Boundaries

[edit]

1955–1974: The county of Midlothian, including all the burghs situated therein, except the county of the city of Edinburgh and the burgh of Musselburgh.

1974–1983: As above.

1983–1997: Midlothian District.

1997–2005: The Midlothian District electoral wards of Bonnyrigg/Newtongrange, Dalkeith, Loanhead, and Mayfield/Gorebridge.

2005–present: The area of the Midlothian Council.

When first formed, the constituency covered the whole of the traditional county of Midlothian, apart from Edinburgh, split into multiple separate constituencies, and Musselburgh, which was included in Edinburgh East (UK Parliament constituency).

In the 1983 reforms the constituency was significantly reduced from over 100,000 voters to 61,143, with large numbers of voters moved to the new seat of Livingston, and smaller numbers to Edinburgh Pentlands, East Lothian and Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale.[2]

The 1997 reforms moved Penicuik into Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, with the rest of the council area remaining in the seat;[3] it returned in 2005, when the constituency was expanded again to cover the entire Midlothian Council area.[4]

Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundaries were unchanged.[5][6]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Elected | Member[7] | Party

|
|

| 1955 | David Pryde | Labour
| 1959 | James Hill | Labour
| 1966 | Alex Eadie | Labour
| 1992 | Eric Clarke | Labour
| 2001 | David Hamilton | Labour
| 2015 | Owen Thompson | SNP
| 2017 | Danielle Rowley | Labour
| 2019 | Owen Thompson | SNP
| 2024 | Kirsty McNeill | Labour

## Election results

[edit]

### Elections in the 2020s

[edit]

General election 2024: Midlothian [8] [9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour Co-op | Kirsty McNeill | 21,480  | 48.6  | +18.9
| SNP | Owen Thompson | 13,313  | 30.1  | −11.4
| Reform UK | Stefan Garbowski  | 3,276  | 7.4  | New
| Conservative | Keith Cockburn  | 3,248  | 7.4  | −14.3
| Liberal Democrats | Ross Laird  | 2,589  | 5.9  | −1.1
| Scottish Libertarian | Daniel Fraser  | 259  | 0.6  | New
Majority | 8,167  | 18.5  | N/A
Turnout | 44,165  | 59.8  | −7.9
Registered electors | 73,916  |  |
| Labour Co-op gain from SNP | Swing | +15.2  |

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

General election 2019: Midlothian[10] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| SNP | Owen Thompson | 20,033  | 41.5  | +7.1
| Labour | Danielle Rowley | 14,328  | 29.7  | −6.7
| Conservative | Rebecca Fraser  | 10,467  | 21.7  | −3.7
| Liberal Democrats | Steve Arrundale  | 3,393  | 7.0  | +3.2
Majority | 5,705  | 11.8  | N/A
Turnout | 48,221  | 68.4  | +2.1
| SNP gain from Labour | Swing | +6.9  |
General election 2017: Midlothian[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Danielle Rowley | 16,458  | 36.4  | +6.2
| SNP | Owen Thompson | 15,573  | 34.4  | −16.2
| Conservative | Chris Donnelly[12] | 11,521  | 25.4  | +13.5
| Liberal Democrats | Ross Laird  | 1,721  | 3.8  | +1.5
Majority | 885  | 2.0  | N/A
Turnout | 45,273  | 66.3  | −4.9
| Labour gain from SNP | Swing | +11.2  |
General election 2015: Midlothian[13][14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| SNP | Owen Thompson[15] | 24,453  | 50.6  | +30.0
| Labour | Kenny Young[16] | 14,594  | 30.2  | −16.8
| Conservative | Michelle Ballantyne[15] | 5,760  | 11.9  | ±0.0
| Scottish Green | Ian Baxter[17] | 1,219  | 2.5  | +1.0
| UKIP | Gordon Norrie[18] | 1,173  | 2.4  | +1.5
| Liberal Democrats | Aisha Mir  | 1,132  | 2.3  | −14.8
Majority | 9,859  | 20.4  | N/A
Turnout | 48,331  | 71.2  | +7.3
| SNP gain from Labour | Swing | +23.4  |
General election 2010: Midlothian[19][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Hamilton | 18,449  | 47.0  | +1.5
| SNP | Colin Beattie | 8,100  | 20.6  | +3.6
| Liberal Democrats | Ross Laird  | 6,711  | 17.1  | −9.1
| Conservative | James E. Callander  | 4,661  | 11.9  | +2.5
| Scottish Green | Ian G. Baxter  | 595  | 1.5  | New
| UKIP | Gordon Norrie  | 364  | 0.9  | New
| Independent | George McCleery  | 196  | 0.5  | New
| TUSC | Willie C. Duncan  | 166  | 0.4  | New
Majority | 10,349  | 26.4  | +7.1
Turnout | 39,242  | 63.9  | +1.7
| Labour hold | Swing | −1.1  |

### Elections in the 2000s

[edit]

General election 2005: Midlothian[21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Hamilton | 17,153  | 45.5  | −5.0
| Liberal Democrats | Fred Mackintosh  | 9,888  | 26.2  | +8.9
| SNP | Colin Beattie | 6,400  | 17.0  | −2.2
| Conservative | Iain McGill  | 3,537  | 9.4  | +0.2
| Scottish Socialist | Norman V. Gilfillan  | 726  | 1.9  | −1.2
Majority | 7,265  | 19.3  | −11.9
Turnout | 37,704  | 62.2  | +1.0
| Labour hold | Swing | −7.0  |
General election 2001: Midlothian[22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Hamilton | 15,145  | 52.7  | −0.8
| SNP | Ian Goldie  | 6,131  | 21.3  | −4.2
| Liberal Democrats | Jacqueline Bell  | 3,686  | 12.8  | +3.6
| Conservative | Robin Traquair  | 2,748  | 9.6  | −1.3
| Scottish Socialist | Robert Goupillot  | 837  | 2.9  | New
| ProLife Alliance | Terence Holden  | 177  | 0.6  | New
Majority | 9,014  | 31.4  | +3.4
Turnout | 28,724  | 59.1  | −15.0
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1990s

[edit]

General election 1997: Midlothian[23][24] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Eric Clarke | 18,861  | 53.5  | +9.6
| SNP | Lawrence Millar  | 8,991  | 25.5  | +3.6
| Conservative | Anne C. Harper  | 3,842  | 10.9  | −9.2
| Liberal Democrats | Richard F. Pinnock  | 3,235  | 9.2  | −3.9
| Referendum | Keith K. Docking  | 320  | 0.9  | New
Majority | 9,870  | 28.0  | +6.0
Turnout | 35,249  | 74.1  | −3.8
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1992: Midlothian[24][25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Eric Clarke | 20,588  | 43.9  | −4.4
| SNP | Andrew Lumsden  | 10,254  | 21.9  | +11.3
| Conservative | Jeff Stoddart  | 9,443  | 20.1  | +1.9
| Liberal Democrats | Paul L. Sewell  | 6,164  | 13.1  | −8.9
| Scottish Green | Iain D. Morrice  | 476  | 1.0  | +0.1
Majority | 10,334  | 22.0  | −4.3
Turnout | 46,925  | 77.9  | +1.0
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1980s

[edit]

General election 1987: Midlothian[26] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 22,553  | 48.3  | +5.6
| SDP | Alan Dewar  | 10,330  | 22.0  | −7.2
| Conservative | Frank Riddell  | 8,527  | 18.2  | −3.7
| SNP | Ian Chisholm  | 4,947  | 10.6  | +4.4
| Green | Ian Smith  | 412  | 0.9  | New
Majority | 12,223  | 26.3  | +12.8
Turnout | 45,291  | 76.9  | +1.9
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1983: Midlothian[27] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 19,401  | 42.7  | −9.7
| SDP | Alan Dewar  | 13,245  | 29.2  | +21.1
| Conservative | Duncan Menzies  | 9,922  | 21.9  | −3.6
| SNP | Marjory Hird  | 2,826  | 6.2  | −5.5
Majority | 6,156  | 13.5  | −7.9
Turnout | 45,394  | 75.0  | −3.8
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1979: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 37,773  | 47.8  | +6.3
| Conservative | Hugh Wallace Mann  | 20,797  | 26.4  | +10.4
| SNP | Glen Anthony Frederick Spiers  | 13,260  | 16.8  | −18.8
| Liberal | Alexander Paton Brodie  | 7,129  | 9.0  | +2.1
Majority | 16,936  | 21.4  | +15.5
Turnout | 78,959  | 77.8  | +0.4
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election October 1974: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 28,652  | 41.5  | −3.2
| SNP | John Gerard McKinlay  | 24,568  | 35.6  | +8.6
| Conservative | Alistair Ballantyne  | 11,046  | 16.0  | −12.4
| Liberal | Philip Wheeler  | 4,793  | 6.9  | New
Majority | 4,084  | 5.9  | −10.4
Turnout | 69,059  | 77.4  | −4.2
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election February 1974: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 32,220  | 44.7  | −8.2
| Conservative | David Louis Mowat  | 20,478  | 28.4  | −3.1
| SNP | John Gerard McKinlay  | 19,450  | 27.0  | +11.5
Majority | 11,742  | 16.3  | −5.1
Turnout | 72,148  | 81.6  | +6.0
| Labour hold | Swing | −2.6  |
General election 1970: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 30,802  | 52.9  | −3.7
| Conservative | John L.G. Lamotte  | 18,328  | 31.5  | +4.5
| SNP | George Park  | 9,047  | 15.5  | −0.8
Majority | 12,474  | 21.4  | −8.2
Turnout | 58,177  | 75.6  | −1.9
| Labour hold | Swing | −4.1  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1966: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Alex Eadie | 27,608  | 56.6  | −4.7
| Conservative | John L.G. Lamotte  | 13,192  | 27.0  | −11.7
| SNP | Steven Rae  | 7,974  | 16.3  | New
Majority | 14,416  | 29.6  | +7.2
Turnout | 48,774  | 77.5  | −1.4
| Labour hold | Swing | +3.5  |
General election 1964: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Hill | 29,820  | 61.3  | +1.1
| Unionist | Daniel A.P. Buchanan  | 18,861  | 38.7  | −1.1
Majority | 10,959  | 22.4  | +2.0
Turnout | 48,681  | 78.9  | −2.4
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.1  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1959: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | James Hill | 28,457  | 60.2  | ±0.0
| Unionist | William S. How  | 18,797  | 39.8  | ±0.0
Majority | 9,660  | 20.4  | ±0.0
Turnout | 47,254  | 81.3  | +3.2
| Labour hold | Swing | ±0.0  |
General election 1955: Midlothian  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Labour | David Pryde | 25,994  | 60.2
| Unionist | Anthony Stodart | 12,208  | 39.8
Majority  | 13,786  | 20.4
Turnout | 38,202  | 78.1
| Labour win (new seat)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2023 review final recs news release" (PDF). Boundary Commission for Scotland.
2. ^ "Constituency guide: Midlothian". The Scotsman. 3 June 1983.
3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 1995". legislation.gov.uk. 11 April 1995. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 2005", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2005/250
5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 3.
6. ^ 2023 Review UK Parliament constituencies Boundary Commission for Scotland
7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 2)
8. ^ "Midlothian results". BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
9. ^ "The summary of Midlothian results". Midlothian Council. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
10. ^ "General Election Results 2019". Electoral Reform Society Results. Electoral Reform Society. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
11. ^ "General Election: SNP reselects 54 MPs". www.scotsman.com.
12. ^ "Lee Scott back for Ilford North. Vicky Ford in final Chelmsford three. Tatton finalists named. The latest candidate selections and shortlists". Conservative Home. 24 April 2017.
13. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
14. ^ "Midlothian parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" - via www.bbc.co.uk.
15. ^ a b "Midlothian". YourNextMP. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
16. ^ "Kenny Young selected as Labour's candidate for Midlothian - LabourList". 3 March 2015.
17. ^ "Scottish Greens". Scottish Greens.
18. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
19. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
20. ^ "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Midlothian". news.bbc.co.uk.
21. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
22. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
24. ^ a b "Aristotle: Midlothian", Guardian Unlimited
25. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
26. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Midlothian UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2005 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
* Midlothian UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

* v
* t
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UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland by holding party (57)

Labour (36)|

* Airdrie and Shotts
* Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
* Bathgate and Linlithgow
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Conservative (5)|

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* Dumfries and Galloway
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Independent (1)|

* Alloa and Grangemouth

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