Elections to the City of Edinburgh Council took place on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. As with other Scottish council elections, it was held using single transferable vote (STV) – a form of proportional representation – in which multiple candidates are elected in each ward and voters rank candidates in order of preference.
For the second consecutive elections, the Scottish National Party (SNP) were returned as the largest party with 19 seats albeit with a slightly reduced vote share (down 1.1%). Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens all made gains at the expense of the Conservatives, who fell from the second-largest party to the smallest representative group on the council. Labour overtook the Conservatives into second place as they gained one seat to return 13 councillors. The Liberal Democrats doubled their number of councillors, as they were returned as the third-largest party with 12 seats, while the Greens gained two seats to hold 10. The number of Conservative councillors halved as they fell from 18 seats to nine.
Following the election, the ruling SNP-Labour coalition was replaced by a Labour minority administration supported by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.
Background
Previous election
For the first time, the Scottish National Party (SNP) were returned as the largest party in an election in Edinburgh after increasing their vote share by 0.2% to win 19 seats – an increase of one from 2012. Despite topping the popular vote, the Conservatives only returned 18 seats as they overtook Labour to become the second-largest party on the council. Labour fell from the largest party to third after losing eight seats to return 12 councillors. The Greens recorded their best result in an election in Edinburgh as they returned eight councillors – up two – and the remaining six seats were won by the Liberal Democrats – up three.
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Electoral system
The election used the 17 wards created following the fourth statutory review of electoral arrangements conducted by Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland in 2007, with 63 councillors elected. Each ward elected either three or four councillors, using the single transferable vote (STV) electoral system – a form of proportional representation – where candidates are ranked in order of preference.
Composition
Since the previous election, several changes in the composition of the council occurred. Most were changes to the political affiliation of councillors – including SNP councillors Lewis Ritchie, Gavin Barrie, Claire Bridgman and Derek Howie and Conservative councillor Ashley Graczyk – who resigned from their respective parties and became independents. Two by-elections were held and resulted in an SNP gain from Labour and an SNP hold. Green councillor Gavin Corbett resigned from the council after being made a special adviser to the Scottish Government, but as his resignation was less than six months prior to the election, a by-election was not called to replace him.
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Retiring councillors
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Candidates
The total number of candidates increased from 120 in 2017 to 143. As was the case five years previous, the SNP fielded the highest number of candidates at 25 (two less than in 2017) across the 17 wards. The Liberal Democrats overtook both Labour and the Conservatives to field the second-largest number of candidates at 22 – an increase of four. Both the Conservatives (20 candidates) and Labour (19) stood fewer candidates than they had in 2017 – a decrease of one and four respectively. The Greens were the only other party to contest all 17 wards as, like they had done at the previous election, they put forward 17 candidates. The number of independent candidates increased from seven in 2017 to 10. As they had done five year previous, the Libertarians contested the election, standing five candidates (up one).
For the first time, the Alba Party (seven candidates), the Women's Equality Party (two), the Workers Party (one), the Communist Party (one) and the Freedom Alliance (one) contested an election in Edinburgh. The Scottish Socialist Party (one) contested an election in Edinburgh for the first time since 2012. As they had in 2017, Socialist Labour put forward one candidate while UKIP – who put forward two candidates in 2017 – did not contest the election.
Results
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Note: Votes are the sum of first preference votes across all council wards. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 4 May 2017. This is because STV has an element of proportionality which is not present unless multiple seats are being elected. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at the dissolution of Scotland's councils.
Ward summary
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Seats changing hands
Below is a list of seats which elected a different party or parties from 2017 in order to highlight the change in political composition of the council from the previous election. The list does not include defeated incumbents who resigned or defected from their party and subsequently failed re-election while the party held the seat.
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Ward results
Almond
The Liberal Democrats (2) and the SNP (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives lost their only seat to the Liberal Democrats.
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Pentland Hills
The SNP and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats and lost one seat to the SNP.
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Drum Brae/Gyle
The Liberal Democrats and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives lost their only seat to the Liberal Democrats.
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Forth
Labour retained the seat they had won at the previous election while the SNP retained one of their two seats and the Conservatives lost their only seat. The Greens and the Liberal Democrats both gained one seat.
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Inverleith
The SNP and the Liberal Democrats retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats and the Greens gained one seat from the Conservatives.
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Corstorphine/Murrayfield
The Liberal Democrats and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives lost their only seat to the Liberal Democrats.
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Sighthill/Gorgie
The SNP (2) and Labour (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Greens gained one seat from the Conservatives.
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Colinton/Fairmilehead
Labour retained the seat they had won at the previous election while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats and the SNP gained one seat from the Conservatives.
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Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart
The Conservatives and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while Labour gained one seat from the Greens.
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Morningside
Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous elections.
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City Centre
The Conservatives, the Greens, Labour and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election.
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Leith Walk
The Greens and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP retained one of their two seats and the Liberal Democrats gained one seat from the SNP.
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Leith
The SNP, the Greens and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election.
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Craigentinny/Duddingston
Labour, the SNP, the Conservatives and the Greens retained the seats they had won at the previous election.
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Southside/Newington
Labour, the Greens and the SNP retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the Liberal Democrats gained one seat from the Conservatives.
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Liberton/Gilmerton
The SNP (2), Labour (1) and the Conservatives (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election.
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Portobello/Craigmillar
The SNP, Labour, the Greens and the Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous election.
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Aftermath
After the election, the SNP remained the largest party, but Labour took control of the council after giving the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives "key non-political" posts. In a sign of internal unease at the deal, Labour councillors Katrina Faccenda and Ross McKenzie abstained. This came after a coalition between the SNP and Greens was blocked as a result of the deal between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, which combined obtained 32 votes, compared to the 29 votes for the SNP-Green deal.
Several current and former elected Labour representatives were critical of the deal involving the Conservatives. Former Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz described the deal in the capital as "unacceptable", whilst Neil Findlay, who was a regional MSP for Lothian between 2011 and 2021, said: "I am appalled to see West Lothian Labour councillors voting Tories into office - the Tory party is the enemy of my class."
On 28 June 2022, the Labour group suspended Leith councillor Katrina Faccenda and Sighthill/Gorgie councillor Ross McKenzie for eight weeks after they opposed the deal with the Conservatives, temporarily reducing the administration to 11 members. Cllr McKenzie later resigned from the Labour group on 23 February 2023 in protest at the way the council's 2023–24 budget was passed.
In October 2024, Police Scotland began investigating Labour councillor Cammy Day, leader of the council, following an allegation of inappropriate behaviour. The allegations – which concerned Cllr Day contacting Ukrainian refugees with "sexually explicit messages" – became public in December 2024 and Cllr Day was suspended by Labour. Cllr Sumita Kumar, leader of the SNP group, said Cllr Day should "resign immediately" as council leader. Cllr Day subsequently resigned as council leader on 9 December. Further allegations surrounding Cllr Day as an unregistered landlord were made following his resignation.
An attempt by the SNP and the Greens to take over the running of the council following Cllr Day's resignation was defeated by 32 votes to 28. Despite holding just 10 seats, Labour retained minority control of the council following support from the Lib Dem and Conservative groups and Labour councillor Jane Meagher was elected as council leader.
Corstorphine/Murrayfield by-election
Frank Ross, SNP councillor for Corstorphine/Murrayfield, resigned on 16 December 2022 causing a by-election. The by-election was held on 9 March 2023 and was won by Fiona Bennett of the Liberal Democrats.
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2024 Colinton/Fairmilehead by-election
In September 2024, Colinton/Fairmilehead councillor Scott Arthur resigned his council seat after successfully being elected as MP for Edinburgh South West at the 2024 United Kingdom general election. A by-election, held on 14 November 2024, was won by Lib Dem candidate Louise Spence. However, less than a week after the by-election, Cllr Spence resigned citing a "sudden change in personal circumstances". Following Cllr Spence's resignation, the Liberal Democrats were asked to foot the bill for the by-election which was estimated to cost around £80,000.
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2025 Colinton/Fairmilehead by-election
In November 2024, within seven days of the 2024 Colinton/Fairmilehead by-election, Cllr Marco Biagi and Cllr Louise Spence – who spent less than a week in office – resigned. A by-election to fill both vacancies, held on 23 January 2025, was won by Conservative candidate Neil Cuthbert and Labour candidate Conor Savage.
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Notes
References
