Labour swept out by a new broom

A REVOLUTION is set to take place in the control of Edinburgh’s City Chambers after the Liberal Democrats ousted Labour as the Capital’s biggest party.

The Lib Dems won 17 seats to Labour’s 15. The Scottish Nationalists, who previously had only one councillor, took 12 seats, the Greens won three and the Tories were reduced to 11.

And some big names, including leading Labour councillor Trevor Davies and Liberal Democrat Tom Ponton, suffered surprise defeats.

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Today, the major parties were set to sit down to start plotting their approach to coalition talks. The make-up of the new council means several different parties could be involved in any deal.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats are seen as the most obvious partners and would together muster a comfortable majority. However, the sizeable SNP and Conservative groups could be drawn into a pact, while it is possible the city’s three new Green councillors could be courted by bigger parties as part of a rainbow coalition. The inevitable political horse-trading means projects like Labour’s plans to demolish Meadowbank Stadium and build a replacement at Sighthill will be up for discussion.

The future of the 300 million Caltongate project has been thrown into doubt by the results.

And the SNP’s opposition to major transport schemes such as the tram network and the planned rail link to Edinburgh Airport, is likely to feature in coalition talks, although the fate of these projects will ultimately be in the hands of the new Scottish Executive.

The city’s current policy on school admissions could also be the subject of debate, particularly if the Conservatives are involved in a multi-party pact.

One senior Lib Dem source said: “Everything is up for grabs at the moment. No-one really has an idea how things will go.

“There will be opposition with-in the group to a deal with Labour because of the public impression that would give.

“The SNP’s stance on trams does give them a problem, and things may depend on whether they are negotiable on that.

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“However it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that there could be a deal between the Lib Dems, the Tories and the Greens.”

EDINBURGH COUNCIL RESULTS

ALMOND (3 seats available)

Elected:

Kate Mackenzie (Con)3352

George Grubb (Lib Dems)2809

Norman Work (SNP)2164

Unelected:

Neil Maclean (Lib Dem)1548

John Longstaff (Lab)1280

Jill Boulton (Greens)520

Ross Clark (SSP)144

PENTLAND HILLS (3 seats available)

Elected:

Alastair Paisley (Con)2523

Ronald Cairns (SNP)2238

Ricky Henderson (Lab)2148

Not elected:

Andy Maciver (Con)2074

Iain Coleman (Lib Dem1255

Shonagh Mcewan (Greens)479

Alister Black (SSP)116

Irvine Mcminn (Liberal Party)94

DRUM BRAE/GYLE (3 seats available)

Elected:

Robert Aldridge (Lib Dem)2630

Jenny Dawe (Lib Dem)2049

Colin Keir (SNP)1917

Not elected:

Steven Binney (Con)1676

Cameron Day (Lab)1545

Fiona Paterson (Greens)330

Iain Pendreich (SSP)88

Roy Isserlis (Liberal party)85

FORTH (4 seats available)

Elected:

Steve Cardownie (SNP)2472

Allan Jackson (Con)2206

Elizabeth Maginnis (Lab)1616

Elaine Morris (Lib Dem)1953

Not elected:

Billy Fitzpatrick (Lab)1547

Kate Joester (Greens)627

Fred Marinello Independent)201

Willie Black (Solidarity)197

Marilyn Sangster (SSP)84

INVERLEITH (4 seats available)

Elected:

Lesley Hinds (Lab)2689

Iain Whyte (Con)1986*

Stuart Mcivor (SNP)1961*

Tim Mckay (Lib Dem)1644*

Not elected:

Lindsay Paterson (Con)2085

Tom Ponton (Lib Dem)1339

Kristina Woolnough Independent)1323

Melanie Main (Greens)1113

Seumas Macmhicean (Liberal Party)148

John Anderson Independent)129

Raymond Watt (Solidarity)103

Sean Donnelly (SSP)92

*Elected after picking up 2nd preference and subsequent votes from supporters of at least 8 other candidates

CORSTORPHINE/MURRAYFIELD (3 seats available)

Elected:

Jeremy Balfour (Con)2972

Paul Edie (Lib Dem)2444

Phil Wheeler (Lib Dem)1915

Not elected:

Daniel Donaldson (Lab)1757

Robin Maccormick (SNP)1727

Charles Kennedy (Greens)556

Andrew Weir (SSP)80

SIGHTHILL/GORGIE (4 seats available)

Elected:

Nick Elliot-Cannon (SNP)3785

Eric Milligan (Lab)3145

Joanna Toomey (Lib Dem)1300

Donald Wilson (Lab)1142*

Not elected:

Iain Gibson (Con)1180

James Mackenzie (Greens)702

Jason Mangan (Solidarity)238

Keith Bell (Independent)209

Gerry Corbett (SSP)168

Tam Smith (Independent)127

*Elected after picking up 2nd preference and subsequent votes from supporters of 8 other candidates

COLINTON/ FAIRMILEHEAD (3 seats available)

Elected:

Elaine Aitken (Con)2877

Jason Rust (Con)2815

Eric Barry (Lab)2332

Not elected:

Thomas Kielty (SNP)1861

Stuart Bridges (Lib Dem)1842

Alastair Tibbitt (Greens)517

Robert Mathie (SSP)80

FOUNTAINBRIDGE/ CRAIGLOCKHART (3 seats available)

Elected:

Gordon Buchan (Con)2729

Andrew Burns (Lab)2272

Jim Lowrie (Lib Dem)1724*

Not elected:

Denis Dixon (SNP)1875

Jeni Mackay (Greens)1123

Anne Edmonds (Solidarity)142

Barbara Scott (SSP)105

*Elected after picking up 2nd preference and subsequent votes from supporters of 6 other candidates

MEADOWS/MORNINGSIDE (4 seats available)

Elected:

Mark McInnes (Con)3844

Marilyne Maclaren (Lib Dem)2817

Alison Johnstone (Greens)2209

Paul Godzik (Lab)2043

Not elected:

Sue Tritton (Lib Dem)1683

Richard Lewis (SNP)1529

Helga Janzen (SSP)137

Pat Smith (Solidarity)122

Duncan Thorp Independent)105

CITY CENTRE (3 seats available)

Elected:

David Beckett (SNP)1630

Joanna Mowat (Con)1614

Charles Dundas (Lib Dem)1587

Not elected:

Bill Cunningham (Lab)1437

Gavin Corbett (Greens)1352

Catriona Grant (SSP)142

Brian Ferrier (Independent)130

Karen Hetherington (Liberal Party)83

LEITH WALK (4 seats available)

Elected:

Deidre Brock (SNP)2550

Lousie Lang (Lib Dem)2170

Angela Blacklock (Lab)1937

Maggie Chapman (Greens)1754

Not elected:

Trevor Davies (Lab)1144

Iain Mcgill (Con)1114

Adrian Cannon (Solidarity)203

John Hein (Liberal Party)193

Linda Somerville (SSP)182

Peter Clifford (Independent)16

LEITH (3 seats available)

Elected:

Rob Munn (SNP)2333

Marjorie Thomas (Lib Dem)1854

Gordon Munro (Lab)1544

Not elected:

Chas Booth (Greens)957

Matthew Wilson (Lab)741

Andrew Robertson (Con)604

Joseph Hill (Liberal Party)208

Grzegorz Rybak (SSP)150

CRAIGENTINNY/ DUDDINGSTON (3 seats available)

Elected:

Ewan Aitken (Lab)3487

Stefan Tymkewcz (SNP)3484

Gary Peacock (Lib Dem)1190*

Not elected:

Victoria Roberts (Con)1720

Stan Blackley (Greens)701

Shami Khan (Lab)600

Kevin Connor (Solidarity)187

Peter Mcdougall (Liberal Party)152

Jet Cameron (Independent)100

Nick Eardley (SSP)82

John Wallace (Independent)69

*Elected after picking up 2nd preference and subsequent votes from supporters of all 10 other candidates

SOUTHSIDE/NEWINGTON (4 seats available)

Elected:

Ian Perry (Lab)2530

Cameron Rose (Con)2516

Gordon Mackenzie (Lib Dem)2304

Steve Burgess (Greens)1920

Not elected:

Liz O'Malley (Lib Dem)1907

Susanna Lacey (SNP)1780

Scott Simpson (SSP)146

Margaret Lea (Liberal Party)144

James Allinson (Solidarity)140

George Pitcher (Independent)81

LIBERTON/GILMERTON (4 seats available)

Elected:

Tom Buchanan (SNP)3471

Norma Hart (Lab)2524

Ian Murray (Lab)2104

Conor Snowden (Lib Dem)1902*

Not elected:

Gavin Easton (Con)1912

Joan Carter (Greens)464

Colin Fox (SSP)208

Max Volino (Independent)207

John Wight (Solidarity)132

Alex Scott (Independent)123

*Elected after picking up 2nd preference and subsequent votes from supporters of 8 other candidates

PORTOBELLO/CRAIGMILLAR (3 seats available)

Elected:

Michael Bridgeman (SNP)2654

Maureen Child (Lab)2076

Stephen Hawkins (Lib Dems)791*

Not elected:

Alison Miller (Con)1041

Lawrence Marshall (Lab)849

Peter McColl (Greens)635

Norri Davies (Independent)302

Archie Burns (Independent)291

Margaret Munro (Independent)244

Caroline Hosking (Solidarity)187

Massimo Circi (Liberal Party)114

Jan Moran (SSP)73

John Smart (Independent)19

Gerry Kerr (Independent)5

*Elected after picking up 2nd preference and subsequent votes from supporters of all 13 other candidates

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