Edinburgh Corporation election, 1936

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Map showing election results by ward. Edinburgh Corporation election, 1936.svg
Map showing election results by ward.

An Election to the Edinburgh Corporation was held on 3 November 1936, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. The election took place midst an increasingly sectarian political climate, with hardline Protestant and anti-Catholic political parties being on the rise in Glasgow and Edinburgh in the 1930s. The Protestant Action Society; Edinburgh's far-right Protestant grouping which had inspired a sectarian riot the previous year, won 31% of the vote and got 5 new members elected. [1] The PAS had won 24% in the previous years election. [2]

The Protestant Action Society was a political party in Edinburgh active in the 1930s. It was founded by John Cormack in 1933 and had elected nine members to the Edinburgh Council in 1936 with 31 percent of the vote.

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In Glasgow in 1933 a similarly strong showing by that city's insurgent Protestant party had split the Moderate vote, allowing in a Labour council for the first time in Glasgow's history. In contrast, despite the PAS's strong showing in Edinburgh, the dominant Progressives enjoyed such overwhelming majority over Labour that the PAS could hardly dent it. Labour, in turn, were relegated to third place. [3]

Edinburgh Corporation at the time was made up of 71 members, of whom 69 were elected. Following the election the Corporation was composed of 46 Progressives/Moderates, 15 Labour, 8 Protestant Action, and 2 independents. [4]

Turnout was 111,841, or 49.3%. [4]

Aggregate results

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1936 [4]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Progressives 14 0 39.15% 43,788
  Labour 5 1 2Decrease2.svg1 29.25% 32,709
  Protestant Action 5 5 0Increase2.svg5 26.64% 29,797
  Independent 2 2 0Increase2.svg2 4.21% 4,704
  Tennants Association 0.43% 479
  Ind. Labour Party 0.20% 222
  Revolutionary Socialists 0.10% 115
  B.S.I.S.L.P. 0.02% 27

Ward Results

Canongate
2 seats
Electorate: 10,343 [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Esta Henry 2793 25.27
Protestant Action James Leitch2503 22.64
Labour John Gibson 2150 19.45
Progressives Alexander Thomson (incumbent) 1918 17.35
Labour Alexander H. Paton 1468 13.28
Ind. Labour Party James H. Moore 222 2.01
Majority
Turnout 5,527 53.92
Independent gain from Progressives Swing
Protestant Action gain from Labour Swing
South Leith
Electorate: 15,996 [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Protestant Action James C. Trainer4825
Progressives George Mackie 2486
Labour William D. Mitchell 1495
Revolutionary Socialists Thomas Tait 115
B.S.I.S.L.P. Robert Gillespie 27
Majority 2139
Turnout 54.05
Protestant Action gain from Progressives Swing

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