Parties square up over vital election battlegrounds in the Capital

Published on Tuesday 6 April 2010 09:52

THE scene is set for one of the closest election battles of recent times. The Tories' lead in the polls has been cut to a level almost unimaginable just a few months ago, prompting constant talk of hung parliaments.

As Gordon Brown is driven to Buckingham Palace to go through the ritual of asking the Queen to dissolve parliament ahead of a 6 May election, it is easy to imagine his mind turning fleetingly to thoughts of home.

With all the demands of the coming weeks weighing upon him, he is unlikely to spend long fretting about his party's prospects on his own doorstep.

But a busy team of advisers and strategists certainly will be doing so on his behalf, working frenetically in the hope of securing success in key Edinburgh seats – as will their Conservative and Liberal Democrat opponents.

For the Capital is one of the central battlegrounds which are set to take centre stage over the next four weeks, potentially playing a crucial part in deciding the outcome of the election.

This will be an election campaign like no other the country has seen before.

For the first time, the leaders of the three main UK parties will go head-to-head in televised debates.

As well as the battle buses and big-name politicians expected to visit marginal seats in the Capital and elsewhere, this has been dubbed the first "internet election" because of the extensive use expected to be made of e-mail, YouTube and Twitter.

There will, however, also be plenty of good, old-fashioned political scrapping as all sides seek to press home any perceived advantage.

Four out of Edinburgh's five Westminster constituencies will be a particular focus of attention for the parties, as well as seats elsewhere in the Lothians.

Edinburgh South, where Labour's Nigel Griffiths had a majority of just 405 over the Liberal Democrats at the 2005 general election, is one of the most marginal seats in Scotland.

Mr Griffiths announced at the end of January he was standing down, forcing Labour to find a new candidate in a hurry.

Both the Lib Dems and the Tories are targeting the seat, which includes Morningside, Merchiston, Fairmilehead, Newington, Gilmerton and Liberton.

The Lib Dems hold the equivalent constituency in the Scottish Parliament and Edinburgh South used to be a Tory seat, albeit 23 years ago. Both Lib Dem candidate Fred Mackintosh and Tory Neil Hudson claim they are the main challengers. A divided opposition vote could mean Ian Murray is able to hold the seat for Labour.

In neighbouring Edinburgh South West, Chancellor Alistair Darling has a much bigger 7,242 majority – but that has not stopped the Tories targeting the seat. Their candidate, Jason Rust, has had a procession of shadow cabinet ministers visiting the constituency to help his campaign.

An upset may be unlikely, but both sides know how significant a shock result would be and both parties are treating the contest very seriously.

Another key battleground in the Capital is Edinburgh East, where veteran Labour MP Gavin Strang is retiring after 40 years representing the area in the Commons.

This used to be Labour's safest city seat, but the SNP snatched it from them in the 2007 Holyrood elections and is targeting it again in the general election.

Labour's Sheila Gilmore is defending the seat against a determined assault from the SNP's George Kerevan.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are targeting Edinburgh North & Leith, where Labour's Mark Lazarowicz has a majority of 2,153. The Lib Dems have poured resources into the constituency in support of candidate Kevin Lang, who previously masterminded the party's successful campaigns in Edinburgh West.

Edinburgh West Lib Dem MP John Barrett is stepping down and hopes to hand on the seat – where he built up the second-biggest Lib Dem majority – to the party's new candidate Mike Crockart.

The SNP is targeting both the West Lothian seats – Livingston and Linlithgow & Falkirk East. Labour barred its Livingston MP Jim Devine from standing again because of questions over his expenses claims. Having won the equivalent seat at the Scottish Parliament elections, the SNP is hoping its candidate Lis Bardell can beat new Labour candidate Graeme Morrice.

In Linlithgow, Labour's Michael Connarty will face a challenge from the SNP's Thomas Smith, but it would take more than a 12 per cent swing for the seat to change.

It remains to be seen whether Labour suffers any damage from the long-running bitter row between East Lothian MP Anne Moffat and the local party which led to her deselection a couple of weeks ago.

The results of these keenly fought contests will be watched intently on election night, not just in Edinburgh but in London too, where the party leaders may just need them to swing their way in order to get their foot in the Downing Street door.

O'DONNELL CHOSEN TO REPLACE MOFFAT

LABOUR activists in East Lothian have chosen party official Fiona O'Donnell as their candidate to replace ousted MP Anne Moffat.

Ms O'Donnell, 50, saw off competition from Ayesha Hazarika, a stand-up comic and adviser to Harriet Harman, and Kirsty O'Brien, a policy adviser to Gordon Brown, to win the nomination at a meeting of the local party last night.

Her selection follows a long-running row between leading local activists and Ms Moffat, MP for the area since 2001, and a vote by the constituency party to deselect her weeks before the general election.

She is a mother of four who worked in the voluntary sector and lived in Port Seton while bringing up her family.

After the selection, she said: "This election is a clear choice between a Labour or Tory government and we go forward with a united local party determined to win the trust of local people."

COUNTDOWN

Tuesday 20 April last day to register as a voter & last day to apply for a postal vote

Wednesday 21 April final candidates list published

Monday 26 April postal votes issued

Thursday 6 May polling day, 7am-10pm