1972 Edinburgh Corporation election

An Election to the Edinburgh Corporation was held on 2 May 1972, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. Of the councils 69 seats, 23 were up for election.[1]

1972 Edinburgh Corporation election

2 May 1972 (1972-05-02)

23 of the 69 seats to the Edinburgh Corporation
35 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jack Kane Brian Meek
Party Labour Progressives Conservative
Last election 28 27 9
Seats before 28 26 9
Seats won 10 7 3
Seats after 33 21 9
Seat change 5 5
Popular vote 59,456 31,479 25,808
Percentage 42.0% 22.2% 18.2%

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Robert Smith
Party Liberal Independent
Last election 3 2
Seats before 4 3
Seats won 2 1
Seats after 5 2
Seat change 1 1
Popular vote 14,554 4,286
Percentage 10.3% 3.0%

Results by ward.

Council control before election


No overall control

Council control after election


No overall control

Following the election, with two by-elections pending, Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 33 Labour councillors, 21 Progressives, 9 Conservatives, and 5 Liberals. Labour did particularly well in the 1972 municipal elections across Scotland, and this was also the case in Edinburgh, where the party came close to gaining control of the council for the first time, controlling 33 of the councils 68 seats. The Liberals, with 5 seats, held the balance of power in the new council.[1] Following the election Edinburgh corporation would elect its first Labour Lord Provost; Jack Kane.[2]

The election also witnessed the continuation of the decline of the Progressives, who lost 5 seats.[1]

Turnout was 42.1%.

Aggregate results

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1972[1]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 11 5 0 5 43.5 42.0 59,456
  Progressives 5 0 5 5 30.4 22.2 31,479
  Conservative 4 2 2 13.0 18.2 25,808
  Liberal 2 1 0 1 8.7 10.3 14,554
  Independent 1 0 1 1 4.3 3.0 4,286
  SNP 0 0 0 0.0 2.9 4,142
  Communist 0 0 0 0.0 1.0 1,382

Ward Results

Location of Broughton ward
Broughton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives G. Fraser 2,446
Labour R. Cairns 1,784
SNP J. Maxwell 431
Majority 662
Turnout 38.62%
Progressives hold
Location of Calton ward
Calton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour M. Moules 2,087
Progressives Josephine Dickson 1,921
Majority 166
Turnout 40.00%
Labour gain from Progressives
Location of Central Leith ward
Central Leith[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Hastle 2,496
Conservative Margaret Houston 791
SNP J. Geddes 354
Communist L. Farquhar 33
Majority 1705
Turnout 34.04%
Labour hold
Location of Colinton ward
Colinton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative A. Meek 5,286
Labour J. H. McKay 4,908
Progressives D. Mackenzie 1,162
SNP J. McKernan 752
Majority 378
Turnout 48.03%
Conservative hold
Location of Corstorphine ward
Corstorphine[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Joyce Sheln 3,465
Progressives Mrs Robertson Murray 2,405
Conservative W. Percy 1,847
Labour B. R. MacKenzie 1,226
SNP A. S. Weir 246
Majority 1,060
Turnout 51.88%
Liberal gain from Progressives
Location of Craigentinny ward
Craigentinny[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour W. S. Dalgleish 4,181
Conservative G. V. McAra 2,159
Communist T. Burns 111
Majority 2,022
Turnout 43.37%
Labour hold
Location of Craigmillar ward
Craigmillar[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. Fox 4,393
Conservative Norma-Ann Clayton 622
Communist J. O'Donnell 140
Majority 3731
Turnout 33.01%
Labour hold
Location of George Square ward
George Square[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives C. Murphy 1,525
Labour J. F. Stephen 1,515
Liberal M. G. Falchikov 402
Independent Nationalist R. M. S. Tuck 150
Majority 10
Turnout 36.17%
Progressives hold
Location of Gorgie-Dalry ward
Gorgie-Dalry[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour M. McGregor 2,785
Conservative J. McConnell 1,188
SNP E. Milne 651
Majority 1597
Turnout 34.55%
Labour gain from Conservative
Location of Holyrood ward
Holyrood[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour O. Hand 1,546
Conservative P. Jones 688
Majority
Turnout 34.37%
Labour hold
Location of Liberton ward
Liberton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. C. Campbell 7,705
Conservative A. H. Lester 4,025
Communist W. Cowan 133
Majority 3680
Turnout 46.06%
Labour gain from Conservative
Location of Merchiston ward
Merchiston[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal J. G. Gray 3,444
Progressives J. Dalgleish 1,573
Labour R. N. F. Halliday 756
Majority 1871
Turnout 49.23%
Liberal hold
Location of Morningside ward
Morningside[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives J, Bateman 3,252
Liberal N. L. Gordon 2,718
SNP R. J. Shirley 427
Majority 534
Turnout 46.76%
Progressives hold
Location of Murrayfield-Cramond ward
Murrayfield-Cramond[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative G. G. Norval 5,648
Labour W. J. Taylor 3,247
Liberal E. Sutherland-Loveday 1,111
Majority 2401
Turnout 44.98%
Conservative gain from Progressives
Location of Newington ward
Newington[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent J. D. Kidd 4,286
Labour B. Rutherford 1,798
Liberal J. Grahamslaw 1,298
SNP Christina MacWhirter 413
Communist Michele Gunn 78
Majority 2488
Turnout 46.39%
Independent hold
Location of Pilton ward
Pilton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. W. Irvine 5,244
Conservative Sarah Pringle 1,149
Communist C McManus 131
Majority 4095
Turnout 33.79%
Labour hold
Location of Portobello ward
Portobello[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives K. W. Borthwick 3,860
Labour Mary Hutchison 2,215
Majority 1645
Turnout 42.14%
Progressives hold
Location of St Andrews ward
St. Andrews[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative I. A. Cramond 1,496
Labour P. McGhee 855
Liberal C. S. Waterman 474
Majority 6358
Turnout 38.99%
Conservative hold
Location of St Bernards ward
St. Bernard's[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative J. Sanderson 4,000
Labour R. D. Anderson 2,581
Liberal R. H. Guild 1,227
Majority 1419
Turnout 43.87%
Conservative gain from Progressives
Location of St Giles ward
St. Giles[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. McInally 1,542
Conservative D. J. Walker 525
Majority 1017
Turnout 24.13%
Labour hold
Location of Sighthill ward
Sighthill[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour D. Renton 4,920
Conservative W. Scott 1,175
Communist W. Miller 889
SNP R. MacKenna 542
Liberal A. A. Mackay 415
Majority 3745
Turnout 43.90%
Labour gain from Independent
Location of South Leith
South Leith[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour I. R. Hoy 2,614
Progressives C. Waugh 2,362
SNP J. Sinclair 326
Protestant Action J. Maclean 151
Majority 252
Turnout 46.16%
Labour gain from Progressives
Location of West Leith ward
West Leith[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives W. S. Lyle 3,397
Labour N. Lindsay 1,843
Majority 1554
Turnout 46.18%
Progressives hold

References

  1. "Results in the Municipal Elections". The Glasgow Herald. 3 May 1972. p. 2.
  2. p.6
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