Election 2024: Focus on Edinburgh West

The constituency takes in the likes of Kirkliston and South Queensferry, right the way in to the west end of Edinburgh.

This commuter belt seat was a Tory stronghold for over 65 years - but since 1997 it's been Lib Dem - barring a brief spell under the SNP in 2015.

LibDem Christine Jardine is hoping to take the seat for the third time in a row, and there's no question where she sees the fight coming from:

“It comes right down to whether you want an MP who’ll stand up for your community, who’ll work for your community, who’ll go to bat for you on the issues - or whether you want someone who’s a member of the SNP and is there to fight for independence and nothing else”

The SNP's Euan Hyslop though, says doesn't agree that he's fixated on independence:

“I would see myself obviously as an SNP MP, but very much going down to Westminster with the best interests of my community at the forefront of every consideration”

Michael Davidson is hopeful he could become Edinburgh West's first Labour MP since the second world war:

“Somebody that’s as local as they come, speaking inside a Labour government and advocating to deliver a meaningful change for people across the whole of the constituency”

Alastair Shields reckons the LibDems have benefited from anti SNP tactical voting here - and is hoping to confound the pollsters, and make this a Conservative gain on July 4th:

“The SNP are slipping and they’re not really going to be a threat after this election and people will notice that more, so it’s time for people then to go back to their roots and that’s what I’ve been telling people if they are Conservative”

The full list of candidates standing in Edinburgh West:

Michael Davidson (Labour)

David Henry (Independent)

Nick Hornig (Independent / Edinburgh People Party)

Euan Hyslop (SNP)

Otto Inglis (Reform UK)

Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat)

Tam Laird (Scottish Libertarian)

James Puchowski (Scottish Green)

Alastair Shields (Conservative)