An election to Edinburgh Corporation was held on 4 May 1971, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. Of the council's 68 seats, 23 were up for election.[1]

Following the election, Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 28 Labour councillors, 27 Progressives, 9 Conservatives, 3 Liberals, and 2 independents. The SNP was wiped off the council after lost all five of the seats it was defending.[1]

Following the election, the Progressives and Conservative coalition retained control of the council with a majority of three seats.

A total of 125,045 residents voted.

Aggregate results

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1971[1]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 10 7 0 Increase7 43.5 42.7 53,439
  Progressives 8 0 5 Decrease5 34.8 27.1 33,906
  Conservative 4 2 0 Increase2 17.4 17.7 22,147
  Liberal 1 1 0 Increase1 4.3 7.5 9,409
  Scottish National 0 0 5 Decrease5 0.0 4.4 5,481
  Communist 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 273
  Protestant Action 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 217
  Local Community 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.1 173

Ward Results

Location of Broughton ward
Broughton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives G. A. Theurer 2,407
Labour R. Cairns 1,784
Majority
Turnout 34.08%
Progressives hold
Location of Calton ward
Calton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. Anderson 1,874
Conservative Margaret E. S. Houston 1,774
Majority
Turnout 35.32%
Labour gain from Scottish National
Location of Central Leith ward
Central Leith[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. Brown 2,210
Scottish National F. T. Chalmers 714
Conservative J. Whyte 677
Communist L. Farquhar 26
Majority
Turnout 32.81%
Labour gain from Scottish National
Location of Colinton ward
Colinton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative J. D. MacLennan 3,568
Labour R. B. Graham 3,475
Progressives J. Dalgleish 2,221
Scottish National Joan B. Crawford 955
Majority
Turnout 41.86%
Conservative gain from Progressives
Location of Corstorphine ward
Corstorphine[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives F. Ford 2,508
Conservative T. W. Norrish 1,925
Liberal D. C. E. Gorrie 1,678
Labour P. R. Wallington 1,436
Majority
Turnout 42.32%
Progressives hold
Location of Craigentinny ward
Craigentinny[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour G. Drummond 3,731
Conservative A. Hogg 2,204
Communist T. Burns 108
Majority
Turnout 40.06%
Labour hold
Location of Craigmillar ward
Craigmillar[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour D. H. Brown 3,831
Scottish National J. Wallace 932
Majority
Turnout 30.51%
Labour hold
Location of George Square ward
George Square[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative D. F. Alves 1,529
Labour I. R. Hoy 1,141
Majority
Turnout 26.51%
Conservative gain from Progressives
Location of Gorgie-Dalry ward
Gorgie-Dalry[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Johan G. W. Buchanan 2,628
Conservative J. I. Chisholm 1,452
Scottish National E. J. Milne 756
Majority
Turnout 35.41%
Labour gain from Scottish National
Location of Holyrood ward
Holyrood[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour R. F. Cook 1,599
Conservative D. Christison 489
Scottish National A. McCallum 235
Communist Angela Hopkinson 58
Majority
Turnout 34.89%
Labour gain from Scottish National
Location of Liberton ward
Liberton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour P. Wilson 6,923
Conservative D. J. May 3,558
Majority
Turnout 40.87%
Labour hold
Location of Merchiston ward
Merchiston[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal J. F. Lawrie 3,473
Progressives T. Morgan 2,461
Majority
Turnout 50.42%
Liberal gain from Progressives
Location of Morningside ward
Morningside[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives R. Lorimer 3,263
Liberal N. L. Gordon 2,057
Majority
Turnout 34.47%
Progressives hold
Location of Murrayfield-Cramond ward
Murrayfield-Cramond[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives H. Macpherson 4,975
Labour D. M. Henderson 2,475
Majority
Turnout 34.08%
Progressives hold
Location of Newington ward
Newington[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives E. M. Kean 3,463
Labour D. F. Renton 1,913
Liberal J. Grahamslaw 1,144
Scottish National Christina MacWhirter 518
Majority
Turnout 40.01%
Progressives hold
Location of Pilton ward
Pilton[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Catherine T. Nealon 4,609
Conservative R. Beattie 1,001
Majority
Turnout 28.17%
Labour hold
Location of Portobello ward
Portobello[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives G. Lerette 3,305
Labour Mary Hutchinson 1,985
Majority
Turnout 36.85%
Progressives hold
Location of St Andrews ward
St. Andrews[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative D. Drummond-Young 1,566
Labour R. A. Collett 915
Majority
Turnout 33.24%
Conservative hold
Location of St Bernards ward
St. Bernard's[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives Winifred E. Donaldson 3,326
Labour R. D. Anderson 2,029
Liberal C. S. Waterman 722
Local Community J. A. Stevenson 173
Majority
Turnout 34.47%
Progressives hold
Location of St Giles ward
St. Giles[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour L. M. Christie 1,470
Conservative J. McConnell 388
Progressives J. McCann 365
Majority
Turnout 24.15%
Labour gain from Scottish National
Location of Sighthill ward
Sighthill[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour J. T. Davies 4,444
Conservative W. R. Scott 840
Scottish National R. Mackenna 632
Progressives G. D. M. Galbraith 605
Liberal Pamela W. King 335
Communist W. M. Millar 81
Majority
Turnout 38.84%
Labour gain from Progressives
Location of South Leith
South Leith[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour A. Ross 2,514
Progressives A. L. Mackintosh 1,943
Scottish National Mary G. Thompson 739
Protestant Action J. R. Maclean 217
Majority
Turnout 42.32%
Labour gain from Progressives
Location of West Leith ward
West Leith[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressives A. D. Wilson 3,064
Labour R. Jeffreys-Jones 1,629
Majority
Turnout 41.94%
Progressives hold

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "SNP lose all their seats in Edinburgh". The Glasgow Herald. 5 May 1971. p. 10. Retrieved 18 January 2020.