Scottish Parliament Election 2026: Edinburgh Results and What They Mean Locally
The votes are in from Thursday’s Scottish Parliament election. Edinburgh delivered some of the biggest surprises in the country, with the Scottish Greens securing their first-ever constituency win and the SNP losing ground in the capital.
Counting finished on Friday 8 May at the Royal Highland Centre. Here are the outcomes that matter most for Edinburgh residents.
Edinburgh Constituency Results
| Constituency | Winner | Party | Majority | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Central | Lorna Jane Slater | Scottish Green | 4,582 | Gain from SNP |
| Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith | Ben Macpherson | SNP | 3,071 | Hold |
| Edinburgh North Western | Alex Cole-Hamilton | Liberal Democrats | 13,016 | Hold |
| Edinburgh Northern | Sanne Dijkstra-Downie | Liberal Democrats | 2,493 | Gain from SNP |
| Edinburgh South Western | Simita Kumar | SNP | 3,289 | Hold |
| Edinburgh Southern | Daniel Guy Johnson | Scottish Labour | 4,963 | Gain from SNP |
Lorna Slater’s win in Edinburgh Central stands out. The former Green co-leader defeated SNP heavyweight Angus Robertson, who finished third. Many observers point to strong support among younger voters and students in the area as a key factor.
Slater said after the result: “This is a significant milestone… I’ve seen particular support from young people.”
Regional List MSPs (Edinburgh and Lothians East)
The additional member system brought in seven more MSPs for the wider region:
- Scottish Greens: Kate Nevens, Q Manivannan, Kayleigh Ferguson Kinross-O’Neill (three seats)
- Scottish Labour: Irshad Ahmed, Katherine Sangster (two seats)
- Reform UK: Angela Ross (one seat)
- Scottish Conservatives: Miles Briggs (one seat)
What This Means for Edinburgh
The results show a more mixed picture at Holyrood than in previous elections. The SNP remains the largest party nationally but lost several key seats in the capital. Gains for the Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour will shape debates on housing, transport, education and the city’s budget in the years ahead.
Locals will watch closely how the new MSPs handle day-to-day issues such as short-term lets, tram extensions, school places, and the condition of local roads.
Regional list MSPs often play an active role in these constituency matters too.
Turnout across Edinburgh constituencies sat at 57.8%, with 223,815 votes cast.
The new parliament will meet in the coming weeks. For full detailed results and breakdowns, check the City of Edinburgh Council election page or the official Scottish Parliament site.
1 Comment
What do you make of the Edinburgh results? Interesting night in the capital, especially that Green gain in Central.
How do you think this will affect day-to-day issues like housing, schools and transport in the city? Would be good to hear local views.