Midlothian LAB Hold

Scottish Parliament election

constituency

	Midlothian	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	Rhona Brankin	LAB	11139	47.3	-2.4
	Graham Sutherland	SNP	5597	23.8	-6.9
	Jacquie Bell	LD	2700	11.5	+0.5
	Rosemary MacArthur	CON	2557	10.9	+2.1
	Bob Goupillot	SSP	1563	6.6	+6.6
		MAJORITY	5542	23.5
		TURNOUT	23556	48.8

ELECTORATE	48319

Top-up region: Lothian

DESCRIPTION: Midlothian

The county of Midlothian is an ancient one and lies just south-east of Edinburgh. The main towns are Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith, Loanhead and Gorebridge. This seat contains the heart of the former Midlothian coalfield and although mining is in terminal decline, the area is still predominantly industrial and working-class.

Unemployment here is lower than the Scottish average, in spite of recent losses in the textiles industry, with many workers commuting to Edinburgh.This seat has been held by Labour since 1955. The MP David Hamilton is the fifth successive miner to hold the seat. Labour also took the seat in the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Rhona Brankin MSP served as a junior minister in the Dewar and McLeish executives, but fell out of favour when Jack McConnell became first minister. The SNP is Labour's closest challenger, but with a 48% majority to overcome.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	14467	48.6
	SNP	8942	30.1
	LD	3184	10.7
	CON	2544	8.5
	IND	618	2.1

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	15145	52.7
	SNP	6131	21.3
	LD	3686	12.8
	CON	2748	9.6
	SSP	837	2.9
	PLA	177	0.6