Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Edinburgh Pentlands was won by Labour at the 2001 general election, with a majority of 1,742 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Edinburgh Pentlands from 1950 to 2001.
Full Election History, 1950–2001
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
John Adrian Louis Hope (Unionist)
23,107
50.5%
Thomas Alexander MacNair (Labour)
5,195 (11.4 pts)
82.0%
1951
John Adrian Louis Hope (Unionist)
27,804
57.7%
David Connell (Labour)
7,399 (15.3 pts)
83.3%
1955
Lord John Adrian Louise Hope (Unionist)
23,496
59.5%
David Connell (Labour)
7,485 (18.9 pts)
77.3%
1959
Lord John Adrian Louis Hope (Unionist)
25,742
60.3%
John Pitcairn Mackintosh (Labour)
8,792 (20.6 pts)
80.3%
1964
Norman Russell Wylie (Unionist)
20,181
46.0%
Magnus Johnston Williamson (Labour)
2,387 (5.5 pts)
81.6%
1966
Norman Wylie (Conservative)
19,176
44.9%
William Wallace (Labour)
44 (0.1 pts)
80.5%
1970
Norman Wylie (Conservative)
21,829
46.1%
Ewan Stewart (Labour)
3,183 (6.7 pts)
77.0%
Feb 1974
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
18,162
41.2%
John McWilliam (Labour)
4,602 (10.4 pts)
80.9%
Oct 1974
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
14,083
33.9%
George Foulkes (Labour)
1,257 (3.0 pts)
75.5%
1979
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
17,684
39.3%
Arthur James Johnstone (Labour)
1,198 (2.7 pts)
76.8%
1983
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
17,051
39.2%
Keith Smith (Social Democratic Party)
4,309 (9.9 pts)
73.4%
1987
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
17,278
38.3%
Mark Lazarowicz (Labour)
3,745 (8.3 pts)
77.7%
1992
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
18,128
40.7%
Mark Lazarowicz (Labour)
4,290 (9.6 pts)
80.2%
1997
Lynda Clark (Labour)
19,675
42.2%
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
4,862 (10.4 pts)
78.3%
2001
Lynda Clark (Labour)
15,797
40.6%
Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative)
1,742 (4.5 pts)
65.1%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Adrian Louis Hope
Unionist
23,107
50.5%
Yes
Thomas Alexander MacNair
Labour
17,912
39.2%
No
Charlotte McNee
Liberal
4,703
10.3%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Adrian Louis Hope
Unionist
27,804
57.7%
Yes
David Connell
Labour
20,405
42.3%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lord John Adrian Louise Hope
Unionist
23,496
59.5%
Yes
David Connell
Labour
16,011
40.5%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lord John Adrian Louis Hope
Unionist
25,742
60.3%
Yes
John Pitcairn Mackintosh
Labour
16,950
39.7%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman Russell Wylie
Unionist
20,181
46.0%
Yes
Magnus Johnston Williamson
Labour
17,794
40.6%
No
Charles Lindsey Abernethy
Liberal
5,862
13.4%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman Wylie
Conservative
19,176
44.9%
Yes
William Wallace
Labour
19,132
44.8%
No
Donald Clarke
Liberal
4,363
10.2%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman Wylie
Conservative
21,829
46.1%
Yes
Ewan Stewart
Labour
18,646
39.4%
No
Donald Clarke
Liberal
4,055
8.6%
No
Alexander William Steven Rae
SNP
2,814
5.9%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
18,162
41.2%
Yes
John McWilliam
Labour
13,560
30.8%
No
Stanley Patrick Ross-Smith
Liberal
6,870
15.6%
No
Thomas Taylor Forrest
SNP
5,491
12.5%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
14,083
33.9%
Yes
George Foulkes
Labour
12,826
30.9%
No
James Brown Hutchinson
SNP
10,189
24.5%
No
Stanley Patrick Ross-Smith
Liberal
4,411
10.6%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
17,684
39.3%
Yes
Arthur James Johnstone
Labour
16,486
36.6%
No
Colin Ralph Percival Luckhurst
Liberal
5,919
13.1%
No
John Stephen Maxwell
SNP
4,934
11.0%
No
1983
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
17,051
39.2%
Yes
Keith Smith
Social Democratic Party
12,742
29.3%
No
Eric Milligan
Labour
10,390
23.9%
No
Donald MacCormick
SNP
2,642
6.1%
No
Alistair Thomas Nicol-Smith
Green
687
1.6%
No
1987
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
17,278
38.3%
Yes
Mark Lazarowicz
Labour
13,533
30.0%
No
Keith Smith
Social Democratic Party
11,072
24.5%
No
Donald MacCormick
SNP
3,264
7.2%
No
1992
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
18,128
40.7%
Yes
Mark Lazarowicz
Labour
13,838
31.1%
No
Kathleen Caskie
SNP
6,882
15.4%
No
Keith Smith
Liberal Democrat
5,597
12.6%
No
David Rae
Natural Law
111
0.2%
No
1997
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lynda Clark
Labour
19,675
42.2%
Yes
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
14,813
31.7%
No
Stewart Gibb
SNP
6,882
14.7%
No
Jenny Dawe
Liberal Democrat
4,575
9.8%
No
Malcolm McDonald
Referendum Party
422
0.9%
No
Robin Harper
Green
224
0.5%
No
Alistair McConnachie
UKIP
81
0.2%
No
2001
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lynda Clark
Labour
15,797
40.6%
Yes
Malcolm Rifkind
Conservative
14,055
36.1%
No
David Walker
Liberal Democrat
4,210
10.8%
No
Stewart Gibb
SNP
4,210
10.8%
No
James Mearns
Scottish Socialist
555
1.4%
No
Bill McMurdo
UKIP
105
0.3%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Edinburgh Pentlands has been contested at 15 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Unionist, Conservative, Labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Edinburgh Pentlands in the 2001 general election?
Labour won Edinburgh Pentlands in 2001 with 15,797 votes (40.6%), a majority of 1,742 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Edinburgh Pentlands since 1950?
Since 1950, Edinburgh Pentlands has been won by: Conservative, Labour, Unionist.
What was the closest result in Edinburgh Pentlands?
The closest result on record for Edinburgh Pentlands was 1966, when Conservative beat Labour by just 44 votes (0.1 percentage points).