# 1970 Edinburgh Corporation election

An Election to Edinburgh Corporation was held on the 5 May 1970. 23 seats were up for election.
Following the election, Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 31 Progressives, 21 Labour councillors, 7 SNP councillors, 6 Conservatives, 2 Liberals, and 2 independents. The SNP saw its vote collapse, failing to win a single ward and losing the only ward it was defending.
Following the election, the Progressives and Conservative coalition retained control of the council with a majority of five seats.
A total of 135,188 residents voted.

## Aggregate results

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1970 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Labour | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 47.8 | 34.9 | 47,147 |
| Progressives | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 43.5 | 30.3 | 40,969 |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.3 | 10.2 | 13,822 |
| Liberal | 1 | 0 | 0 | | 4.3 | 9.5 | 12,837 |
| SNP | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 14.4 | 19,447 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.5 | 662 |
| Special Branch for Special Action | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.2 | 258 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 46 |

## Ward Results

Broughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | A. Bailey | 3,199 | |
| | Labour | R. Cairns | 1,302 | |
| | SNP | G. C. MacDougall | 703 | |
| | Liberal | R. J. Rickard | 691 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,897 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.71% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Calton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Cook | 2,119 | |
| | Progressives | W. S. Stone | 1,833 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.31% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Central Leith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | T. McGregor | 2,232 | |
| | SNP | J. L. Geddes | 1,000 | |
| | Communist | A. M. K. McLaren | 110 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,232 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.77% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Colinton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Catherine Filsell | 4,630 | |
| | Labour | T.J. Davies | 2,593 | |
| | SNP | Joan Crawford | 1,247 | |
| | Liberal | Joan Gallacher | 1,145 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,037 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.03% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Corstorphine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | R. C. Simpson | 4,264 | |
| | Liberal | Vera Heggie | 1,967 | |
| | Labour | D. M. Henderson | 1,352 | |
| | SNP | G. W. Telford | 872 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,297 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.94% |
| | Progressives gain from Independent | Progressives gain from Independent | Progressives gain from Independent | Progressives gain from Independent |
Craigentinny :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Phyllis Herriot | 3,389 | |
| | Conservative | W. R. V. Percy | 2,091 | |
| | SNP | Jean Cameron | 885 | |
| | Communist | T. Burns | 71 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,298 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.81% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Craigmillar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Kane | 3,314 | |
| | SNP | C. T. Cadden | 1,169 | |
| | Communist | M. D'Arcy | 109 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,145 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.53% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
George Square :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | J. Slack | 1,469 | |
| | Labour | Mary Hutchison | 828 | |
| | SNP | W. K. Archibald | 719 | |
| | Special Branch for Special Action | R. Tait | 258 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 641 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.02% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Gorgie-Dalry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | M. Swanson | 2,558 | |
| | Conservative | J. L. Chisholm | 1,818 | |
| | SNP | A. Symington | 839 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 740 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.69% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Holyrood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | P. Rogan | 1,359 | |
| | SNP | N. W. Laurie | 550 | |
| | Conservative | D. Christieson | 497 | |
| | Communist | Angela Hopkinson | 48 | |
| | Independent | J. Sheppard | 46 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 809 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.24% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Liberton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. D. McWilliam | 5,583 | |
| | Conservative | Irene Hurst | 4,132 | |
| | SNP | A. Stoddart | 1,078 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,451 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.23% |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
Merchiston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | L. Smith | 3,393 | |
| | Conservative | G. G. Norval | 1,636 | |
| | Labour | G. J. Will | 752 | |
| | SNP | H. J. Morris | 324 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,757 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.89% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Morningside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Nansi Mansbridge | 3,519 | |
| | Liberal | G. Duke | 1,575 | |
| | SNP | D. Kelbie | 612 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,944 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.26% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Murrayfield-Cramond :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | R. M. Knox | 5,158 | |
| | Labour | L. M. Christie | 2,067 | |
| | Liberal | C. Dow | 989 | |
| | SNP | D. Purves | 958 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,091 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.33% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
Newington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | G. Hedderwick | 3,715 | |
| | Labour | J. C. Campbell | 1,652 | |
| | Liberal | W. McLeod | 1,265 | |
| | SNP | R. J. D. Scott | 819 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,063 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.13% |
| | Progressives gain from Independent | Progressives gain from Independent | Progressives gain from Independent | Progressives gain from Independent |
Pilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | M. Williamson | 3,652 | |
| | Conservative | R. Beattie | 1,066 | |
| | SNP | W. R. Platt | 994 | |
| | Communist | C. Manus | 148 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,586 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.07% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Portobello :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | S. Cavaye | 3,393 | |
| | SNP | W. T. Telford | 1,769 | |
| | Labour | J. Anderson | 1,310 | |
| | Communist | D. Cameron | 78 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,624 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.22% |
| | Progressives gain from SNP | Progressives gain from SNP | Progressives gain from SNP | Progressives gain from SNP |
St. Andrews :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | R. Duff | 1,841 | |
| | Labour | T. H. Greig | 712 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,129 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.73% |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
St. Bernard's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | J. Millar | 3,289 | |
| | Labour | Johan Buchanan | 1,689 | |
| | Liberal | C. S. Waterman | 1,165 | |
| | SNP | G. M. Macintyre | 624 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,600 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.44% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |
St. Giles :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | C. Stuart | 1,384 | |
| | SNP | B. C. Rutherford | 790 | |
| | Conservative | D. H. Brydon | 668 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 594 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30.30% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Sighthill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | G. Foulkes | 3,806 | |
| | SNP | R. McKenna | 1,478 | |
| | Conservative | B. Shiels | 1,139 | |
| | Liberal | Pamela King | 647 | |
| | Communist | W. Millar | 98 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,328 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.63% |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
South Leith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. E. Boyack | 2,336 | |
| | Progressives | T. S. Ramage | 2,077 | |
| | SNP | J. S. Marshall | 1,255 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 259 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.40% |
| | Labour gain from Progressives | Labour gain from Progressives | Labour gain from Progressives | Labour gain from Progressives |
West Leith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressives | Margaret Ross | 3,357 | |
| | Labour | Sonja Godfrey | 1,158 | |
| | SNP | G. Osborne | 762 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,199 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,277 | 46.72% |
| | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold | Progressives hold |