1969 Edinburgh Corporation election

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1969 Edinburgh Corporation election

← 1968 6 May 1969 (1969-05-06) 1970 →
22 of the 69 seats to the Edinburgh Corporation 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Progressives Labour SNP Last election 34 21 8 Seats before 31 22 9 Seats won 10 6 1 Seats after 29 17 10 Seat change 2 5 1 Popular vote 29,625 22,548 31,967 Percentage 25.9% 19.7% 27.9%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Party Conservative Liberal Independent Last election 3 1 1 Seats before 3 1 2 Seats won 1 1 1 Seats after 7 2 2 Seat change 4 1 Popular vote 17,086 9,418 3,124 Percentage 14.9% 8.2% 2.7%
Results by ward.
Council control before election No overall control Council control after election No overall control

An Election to the Edinburgh Corporation was held on 6 May 1969, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. Of the councils 69 seats, 23 were up for election.^[1]

Following the election, with two by-elections pending, Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 29 Progressives, 17 Labour councillors, 10 SNP councillors, 7 Conservatives, 2 Liberals, and 2 independents. The Conservatives in particular did well, gaining 4 councillors. Two of these gains were at the expense of Labour, in mainly working class wards. The SNP, in contrast, who had done so well at the previous election, only gained Sighthill.^[1]

Following the election, the Progressives and Conservative coalition retained control of the council with a majority of 2. There was some friction between the two sides however, with the Conservatives unseating Mr Robert McLaughlin, the former leader of the Progressive group and the deputy chairman of the council for 7 years, in the St. Andrews ward. The Conservatives also gained Colinton, the seat of the retiring Lord Provost Brechin. The seat was not contested by the Progressives.^[1] Most Progressive losses, with the exception of St. Andrews ward, were caused by incumbent Progressives stepping down and being replaced with new Conservative councillors. In Merchiston however the Conservative candidate was defeated, with the Liberals instead gaining the seat, meaning that the Liberals controlled 2 out of the 3 Merchiston ward seats.^[1]

Turnout was 114,582.

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1969^[1]

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Progressives	10	1	3	2	43.48	25.85	29,625
	Labour	6	0	5	5	26.09	19.68	22,548
	Conservative	4	4	0	4	17.39	14.91	17,086
	SNP	1	1	0	1	4.35	27.90	31,967
	Liberal	1	1	0	1	4.35	8.22	9,418
	Independent	1	0	0		4.35	2.73	3,124
	Communist	0	0	0		0	0.71	814