Edinburgh Pentlands was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, first used in the general election of 1950, and abolished prior to the general election of 2005. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

In 1999, the Edinburgh Pentlands Scottish Parliament constituency was created with the same name and boundaries, and continues in use.

Boundaries 1950–1955: The Colinton, Gorgie-Dalry, Merchiston and Sighthill wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh.

1955–1974: The Colinton, Merchiston and Sighthill wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh, and part of the Gorgie-Dalry ward.

1974–1983: The Colinton and Sighthill wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh, and part of the Merchiston ward.

1983–1997: Electoral divisions 10 (Balerno/Baberton), 24 (Hailes), 25 (Sighthill/Longstone), 35 (Colinton/Firrhill) and 36 (Braidburn/Fairmilehead) in the City of Edinburgh.

1997–2005: Electoral divisions 10 (Balerno/Baberton), 22 (Longstone/Craiglockhart), 30 (Sighthill/Broomhouse), 31 (Colinton/Firrhill), and 35 (Braidburn/Fairmilehead) in the City of Edinburgh.

In 2005, prior to the general election, the Westminster constituency was one of six covering the City of Edinburgh council area. Five were entirely within the city council area. One, Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, straddled the boundary with the East Lothian council area, to take in Musselburgh. Edinburgh Pentlands covered a south-western portion of the city council area.

In terms of wards used for elections to the City of Edinburgh Council, 1999 to 2007, Edinburgh Pentlands included wards named Balerno, Baberton, Colinton, Craiglockhart, Fairmilehead, Firrhill, Murrayburn, Parkhead, and Sighthill. The South Morningside ward was split between Edinburgh Pentlands and Edinburgh South. The seat had an urban north and a suburban centre. The remaining area was rural, and included a Pentland Hills area in the south.

In 2005, most of the constituency became part of Edinburgh South West. The Fairmilehead and South Morningside wards went to Edinburgh South. For the 2005 election, there were five constituencies covering the city area, all entirely within that area.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty 1950 Lord John Hope Unionist 1964 Norman Wylie Unionist 1965 Conservative Feb 1974 Malcolm Rifkind Conservative 1997 Lynda Clark Labour 2005 constituency abolished: see Edinburgh South West & Edinburgh South

Elections Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s

1970 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 17,000 45.70 Labour 14,800 39.78 Liberal 3,200 8.60 SNP 2,200 5.91Turnout37,20076.79Electorate48,445

Elections in the 1980s 1979 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 20,064 44.3 Labour 13,635 30.1 Liberal 6,138 13.6 SNP 5,393 11.9 Others 54 0.1Turnout45,284Electorate

Elections in the 1990s

1992 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 18,474 40.2 Labour 14,326 31.2 SNP 7,203 15.7 Liberal Democrats 5,828 12.7 Others 127 0.3Turnout45,95877.3Electorate59,432

Election in the 2000s

See also Politics of Edinburgh

Notes and references