Friday May 8th 2026
Scottish Parliament
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
The winners of Edinburgh Southern and Northern have been announced with Lib Dems taking Edinburgh’s north and Labour securing the southern constituency.
The SNP have won Edinburgh South Western, propelling council group leader Simita Kumar into Holyrood.
It was a contest between the SNP and Labour in the seat – but Kumar won convincingly with 11,727 votes, and Labour candidate Catriona Munro winning 8,438.
The Conservatives brought in 4,636 votes, while Reform won 3,936 and the Liberal Democrats won 3,672.
Turnout was 53.56%, with 32,580 total votes.
Current Liberal Democrat councillor Sanne Dijkstra-Downie won the Northern seat with 12,972 votes, expanding the party’s reach in the city.
Earlier in the day, SNP councillor and constituency candidate Euan Hyslop predicted his party had lost the Northern seat. Hyslop brought in 10,479 votes.
He attributed it earlier in the day to traditional SNP voters going for a Green candidate in the seat, as well as high turnout in communities likely to back the Liberal Democrats.
The Greens brought in 5,289 votes, while Labour brought in 3,744.
The Conservatives brought in 1,900 votes, and Reform brought in 2,867.\
Labour have won Edinburgh Southern, keeping Daniel Johnson in Holyrood.
He beat back the SNP’s Deidre Brock, who was trying to return to politics after losing her Westminster seat in 2024.
The contest was intense, with voters largely backing either Labour or the SNP.
Johnson brought in 16,963 votes, while Brock pulled in 12,000.
It partially overlaps the Edinburgh South Westminster seat, which Labour has held since 1987.
Johnson has held the Southern seat since 2016.
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