1974 Lothian Regional Council election

Last updated April 02, 2025

The 1974 Lothian Regional Council election was held on 7 May 1974 and saw Labour emerging as the largest party on the council, although falling just shy of a majority.

Results

1974 Lothian Regional Council election election^[1]^[2]
	Seats	Seats %	Votes %	Votes
Labour	24	49.0	39.9	103,622
Conservative	19	38.8	34.3	89,194
SNP	3	6.1	11.6	30,149
Liberal	1	2.0	9.0	23,495
Independent	1	2.0	3.5	9,065
Residents Association	1	2.0	1.1	2,940
Independent Labour	0	0.0	0.3	900
Communist	0	0.0	0.2	473

Ward results

Armadale

Armadale
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	J. Hamilton	2,441	40.3
	Labour	C. Morgan	2,322	38.3
	Independent Labour	W. Ferrier	900	14.9
	Independent	M. King	393	6.5
Majority			119	2.0
	SNP hold

Bathgate

Bathgate
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Residents	W. Stewart	2,349	43.1
	Labour	J. Burns	1,683	30.9
	SNP	S. MacQuarrie	1,324	24.3
	Communist	C. Bett	94	1.7
Majority			666	12.2
	Residents hold

Whitburn

Whitburn
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	A. Bell	3,409	54.6
	SNP	W. McBride	2,180	34.9
	Independent	W. M. Kenny	560	9.0
	Communist	J. King	94	1.5
Majority			1,229	19.7
	Labour hold

Calders

Calders
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	W. G. Rankine	3,153	48.3
	SNP	W. L. Stevenson	2,594	39.8
	Liberal	W. M. Kenny	776	11.9
Majority			559	8.5
	Labour hold

Linlithgow/Uphall

Linlithgow/Uphall
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	J. McGinley	3,761	62.4
	Labour	J. Christie	2,264	37.6
Majority			1,497	24.8
	SNP hold

Broxburn

Broxburn
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	M. Coyne	2,311	36.6
	SNP	R. Taylor	2,153	34.1
	Independent	Jane Paris	1,852	29.3
Majority			158	2.5
	Labour hold

Livingston

Livingston
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	W. Hanlon	3,000	50.5
	SNP	B. B. Pitt	2,945	49.5
Majority			55	1.0
	Labour hold

Holyrood/Meadows

Holyrood/Meadows
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	G. Foulkes	2,400	53.6
	Conservative	L. Taylor	1,489	33.2
	Residents	H. C. Gray	591	13.2
Majority			911	20.4
	Labour hold

Lochrin/Tron

Lochrin/Tron
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	W. J. Taylor	1,824	45.5
	Conservative	D. F. E. Hall	1,632	40.7
	Liberal	I. C. Simpson	551	13.8
Majority			192	4.8
	Labour hold

Dalry/Tynecastle

Dalry/Tynecastle
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. G. W. Buchanan	1,745	41.7
	Conservative	Fiona M. Cameron	970	23.2
	SNP	R. K. Strathan	945	22.6
	Liberal	Jenny M. M. Blain	525	12.5
Majority			775	18.5
	Labour hold

Moat/Polwarth

Moat/Polwarth
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Catherine B. M. Filsell	2,127	40.4
	Liberal	J. F. Lawrie	1,943	36.9
	Conservative	K. N. McLeod	1,196	22.7
Majority			184	3.5
	Labour hold

Church Hill/Braid

Church Hill/Braid
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	A. H. Lester	3,381	52.2
	Liberal	N. L. Gordon	2,651	40.9
	Labour	Isabella M. Williamson	444	6.9
Majority			730	11.3
	Conservative hold

Sciennes/Marchmont

Sciennes/Marchmont
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	G. W. Reid	3,359	57.0
	Liberal	J. Gilmour	1,721	29.2
	Labour	I. M. Christie	811	13.8
Majority			1,638	27.8
	Conservative hold

Prestonfield/Mayfield

Prestonfield/Mayfield
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	D. Alves	3,141	51.1
	Labour	Jessie Rogan	1,864	30.3
	Liberal	R. P. Wassell	1,143	18.6
Majority			1,277	20.8
	Conservative hold

Inch/Gilmerton

Inch/Gilmerton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	P. Wilson	4,345	76.4
	Conservative	Muriel Lester	1,346	23.6
Majority			2,999	52.8
	Labour hold

Alnwickhill/Kaimes

Alnwickhill/Kaimes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	T. J. Davies	2,717	55.4
	Conservative	Rosemary Macarthur	2,190	44.6
Majority			527	10.8
	Labour hold

Merchiston/Colinton

Merchiston/Colinton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J. D. Maclennan	3,936	53.5
	Liberal	S. P. Ross-Smith	2,189	29.8
	SNP	R. E. Young	637	8.7
	Labour	J. A. Mitchell	593	8.1
Majority			1,747	23.7
	Conservative hold

Fairmilehead/Firrhill

Fairmilehead/Firrhill
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	B. A. Meek	3,003	43.7
	Labour	M. C. B. McGregor	1,794	26.1
	SNP	J. McKernan	1,282	18.7
	Liberal	J. S. O. Moffat	793	11.5
Majority			1,209	17.6
	Conservative hold

Sighthill/Stenhouse

Sighthill/Stenhouse
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	W. Wallace	4,594	68.3
	Conservative	W. G. Samuel	2,030	30.2
	Communist	M. Currie	107	1.6
Majority			2,564	38.1
	Labour hold

Slateford/Hailes

Slateford/Hailes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	C. D. Bisset	2,498	42.4
	Conservative	Elizabeth Alves	1,739	29.5
	SNP	I. H. Macdonald	1,655	28.1
Majority			759	12.9
	Labour hold

Pilton/Muirhouse

Pilton/Muirhouse
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	N. Lindsay	2,501	70.0
	Liberal	W. H. Bailey	532	14.9
	Conservative	J. Johnston	455	12.7
	Independent	C. McManus	85	2.4
Majority			1,969	55.1
	Labour hold

Craigsbank/Carrickknowe

Craigsbank/Carrickknowe
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	D. C. E. Gorrie	2,728	48.8
	Conservative	Lynn F. Scott	2,084	37.2
	Labour	A. Howden	784	14.0
Majority			644	11.6
	Liberal hold

Corstorphine/Drumbrae

Corstorphine/Drumbrae
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	G. A. Theurer	2,235	41.5
	Liberal	Joyce Shein	1,753	32.6
	Labour	J. E. Boyack	1,397	25.9
Majority			482	8.9
	Conservative hold

Murrayfield/Blackhall

Murrayfield/Blackhall
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R. M. Knox	4,127	71.9
	Liberal	T. Glen	998	17.4
	Labour	R. J. E. Marks	618	10.8
Majority			3,129	54.5
	Conservative hold

Cramond/Barnton

Cramond/Barnton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	G. G. Norval	3,662	57.4
	Labour	R. H. Macintosh	1,415	22.2
	Liberal	E. S. Loveday	1,304	20.4
Majority			2,247	35.2
	Conservative hold

Drylaw/Comely Bank

Drylaw/Comely Bank
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Winifred E. Donaldson	2,749	56.4
	Labour	R. D. Anderson	2,129	43.6
Majority			620	12.8
	Conservative hold

Dean/St. Andrews

Dean/St. Andrews
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	I. A. Cramond	3,068	59.9
	Liberal	C. S. Waterman	1,234	23.3
	Labour	H. R. Wagstaff	998	18.8
Majority			1,834	36.6
	Conservative hold

Pilrig/Calton

Pilrig/Calton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. Cook	2,965	54.2
	Conservative	J. L. Walls	2,503	45.8
Majority			462	8.4
	Labour hold

Broughton/Inverleith

Broughton/Inverleith
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	W. R. V. Percy	3,246	48.7
	Labour	J. Godfrey	1,738	26.1
	Liberal	R. Guild	1,684	25.3
Majority			1,508	22.6
	Conservative hold

Royston/Granton

Royston/Granton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	R. Brown	1,834	49.0
	SNP	G. W. Telford	1,143	30.5
	Conservative	W. Alexander	770	20.5
Majority			691	18.5
	Labour hold

Trinity/Newhaven

Trinity/Newhaven
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	H. A. Nicholson	3,974	64.7
	Labour	A. Findlay	2,172	35.3
Majority			1,802	29.4
	Conservative hold

Harbour/Bonnington

Harbour/Bonnington
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. A. Crichton	2,778	70.8
	Conservative	Elizabeth M. Brodie	1,145	29.2
Majority			1,633	41.6
	Labour hold

Links/Lorne

Links/Lorne
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	C. Waugh	3,122	55.5
	Labour	J. Anderson	2,506	44.5
Majority			616	11.0
	Conservative hold

Willowbrae/Craigentinny

Willowbrae/Craigentinny
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Phyllis Herriot	3,334	62.2
	Conservative	J. A. H. Clark	1,941	36.2
	Communist	C. B. Swan	85	1.6
Majority			1,393	26.0
	Labour hold

Jocks' Lodge/Portobello

Jocks' Lodge/Portobello
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	K. W. Borthwick	4,143	62.5
	Labour	G. Alexander	2,481	37.5
Majority			1,662	25.0
	Conservative hold

Duddingston/Milton

Duddingston/Milton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J. S. Cavaye	2,675	53.0
	Labour	Mary Hutcheson	2,377	47.1
Majority			298	5.9
	Conservative hold

Niddrie/Craigmillar

Niddrie/Craigmillar
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. Kane	3,312	75.6
	SNP	W. K. Archibald	974	22.2
	Communist	Irene Swan	93	2.1
Majority			2,338	53.4
	Labour hold

References

↑ "scottishelections.org.uk". www.scottishelections.org.uk.
↑ "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.

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[1] "scottishelections.org.uk". www.scottishelections.org.uk.

[2] "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.

[1]

[2]

v t e Elections in Edinburgh
Edinburgh Corporation	1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 Abolished
City of Edinburgh District Council	1974 1977 1980 1984 1988 1992 Abolished
Lothian Regional Council	1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 Abolished
City of Edinburgh Council	1995 1999 2003 2007 2012 2017 2022
Referendums	2005

v t e Council elections in East Lothian
East Lothian District Council	1974 1977 1980 1984 1988 1992 Abolished
East Lothian Council	1995 1999 2003 2007 2012 2017 2022
Lothian Regional Council	1974 1978 1982 1985 1990 1994 Abolished

v t e Council elections in Midlothian
Midlothian County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 Abolished
Midlothian District Council	1974 1977 1980 1984 1988 1992 Abolished
Lothian Regional Council	1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 Abolished
Midlothian Council	1995 1999 2003 2007 2012 2017 2022

v t e Council elections in West Lothian
West Lothian District Council	1974 1977 1980 1984 1988 1992 Abolished
West Lothian Council	1995 1999 2003 2007 2012 2017 2022
Lothian Regional Council	1974 1978 1982 1985 1990 1994 Abolished

v t e (1973 ←) 1974 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1975)
London boroughs	Barking Barnet Bexley Brent Bromley Camden Croydon Ealing Enfield Greenwich Hackney Hammersmith Haringey Harrow Havering Hillingdon Hounslow Islington Kensington and Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Lambeth Lewisham Merton Newham Redbridge Richmond upon Thames Southwark Sutton Tower Hamlets Waltham Forest Wandsworth Westminster
District councils (Scotland)	Aberdeen Angus Annandale and Eskdale Argyll Badenoch and Strathspey Banff and Buchan Bearsden and Milngavie Berwickshire Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch Caithness Clackmannan Clydebank Cumbernauld Cumnock and Doon Valley Cunninghame Dumbarton Dundee Dunfermline East Kilbride East Lothian Eastwood Edinburgh Ettrick and Lauderdale Falkirk Glasgow Gordon Hamilton Inverclyde Inverness Kilmarnock and Loudoun Kincardine and Deeside Kirkcaldy Kyle and Carrick Lanark Lochaber Merrick Midlothian Monklands Moray Motherwell Nairn Nithsdale North East Fife Perth and Kinross Renfrew Ross and Cromarty Roxburgh Skye and Lochalsh Stewartry Stirling Sutherland Tweeddale West Lothian
Regional councils (Scotland)	Borders Central Dumfries and Galloway Fife Grampian Highland Lothian Orkney Shetland Strathclyde Tayside Western Isles
See also: UK General election (Feb) UK General election (Oct)