Category: Craigmillar

Greens and Labour win Edinburgh by-election seats

TOUGH NIGHT FOR SNP

The results of the Southside/Newington (Ward 15) and Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) by-elections have been announced at Waverley Court.

Ruth Elliott (Scottish Labour Party) and Lorenzo Martinico (Scottish Greens) have been duly elected to serve in the City of Edinburgh Council for Ward 15 and Ward 17 respectively. Ruth Elliot received 2,153 votes, and Lorenzo Martinico (Scottish Greens) received 1,781 votes.

The new councillors were elected through the Single Transferable Vote system.

The turnout was poor – 6,741 votes (27.3%) in Ward 15 and 6,427 votes (22.9%) in Ward 17.

The declaration was made in the early hours of this morning (Friday 4 September) by Depute Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh, Chris Highcock.

Depute Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh, Chris Highcock, said: “I would like to welcome Councillors Elliot and Martinico into their new roles and wish them all the best as they begin serving their wards.

“My thanks goes to everyone who took part in these by-elections, alongside our elections team and council colleagues, who have been working hard behind the scenes over the last few months.”

SCOTTISH GREENS HAIL HISTORIC BY-ELECTION WIN

Portobello housing campaigner Lorenzo Martinico has made history by becoming the first Scottish Green to win a council by-election in the City of Edinburgh. 

Lorenzo is a local housing campaigner and was previously a postdoctoral researcher at Edinburgh University, specialising in computer security and digital privacy.

Reacting to the result, Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer MSP said: “This is a truly historic day for Edinburgh and the Scottish Greens. For the first time ever our capital has elected a Scottish Green councillor at a by-election, showing the failing Labour administration that Edinburgh demands better.

“By electing Lorenzo, voters in Portobello/Craigmillar have demanded radical change in Scotland’s capital. Just a few months ago, Greens won our first ever Holyrood constituency here in the heart of the city. This result confirms that we are fighting to win next May’s council elections in Edinburgh.”

“I know that Lorenzo will make a huge difference for the people of Portobello/Craigmillar. He will push to deliver urgently needed rent controls, tackle the climate emergency, and build a more affordable Edinburgh.”

Edinburgh Green Group co-convenor and fellow Portobello/Craigmillar councillor, Cllr Alys Mumford said: “Portobello-Craigmillar is now the first ward in Edinburgh to be represented by two Green Councillors, and residents there will benefit hugely from Lorenzo being their new local Councillor.

Alys added: “We’d like to congratulate Lorenzo on his election and also pay tribute to Isabella, who narrowly missed out on securing our second by-election win in Southside/Newington, but whose vote share increase reflects a growing desire for change.

“Green volunteers and activists ran a fantastic campaign across both wards and the results show that our message of hope is resonating with the people of Edinburgh.”

Lorenzo Martinico, the newly-elected Green councillor for Portobello/Craigmillar, said: “I am really honoured that my neighbours in Portobello/Craigmillar have chosen me to represent them as their councillor.

“I would like to thank the hundreds of Scottish Greens volunteers and supporters who have spent the last two months campaigning for us, securing our first by-election wins in the city. 

“It’s been an honour to be part of such a positive and energetic campaign. When I first moved to Edinburgh, I could never have imagined I would be elected as a councillor.

“There are thousands of people like me who weren’t born here but have chosen to make Edinburgh their home – I hope my election gives them a bit of hope, at a time when some in our community feel unsafe because of how they sound when they speak, because of the colour of their skin or their religion.

“I am looking forward to working to make a difference for the people of Portobello/Craigmillar.”

The by-elections were initiated by the resignation of two SNP city councillors who were elected as MSPs in May’s Scottish Parliament elections. Another two city councillors – Green Kayleigh Kinross‑O’Neill and Lib-Dem Sanne Dijstra Downie – also became MSPs in the Holyrood elections but both decided to stay on as councillors, carrying out dual roles until next May’s council elections.

Full details of the by-election results are available on the Council website.

Council by-elections this Thursday

By-elections in Southside/Newington (Ward 15) and Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) take place this Thursday (3 September).

We’re urging residents in these wards to remember their polling cards and to cast their votes.

Residents in these wards who are aged 16 or over and have registered to vote can participate in Thursday’s by-elections.

One new councillor will be elected for each ward. The current electorate for Ward 15 is 24,666 and for Ward 17 it’s 28,062.

Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said: “With these by-elections fast approaching, I encourage residents in these wards to take this opportunity to have their say on Thursday. Please remember your polling cards and check your polling place. These new councillors will represent your communities on issues affecting your local area and Edinburgh as a whole.

“Our elections pages provide useful information on how the Single Transferable Vote system works – you can rank candidates in order of preference, choosing as many or few as you’d like.

“If you’re voting by post, please return your completed ballot as soon as possible to make sure your vote is counted.

Please check your polling place as this may have changed since the last time you voted. If you bring your polling card to vote this will help us and speed up the process, but this isn’t mandatory.

A full list of the candidates standing in both wards is available on the Council’s website.

Further information on voting in Ward 15 and Ward 17, including accessibility information and spoken ballot papers are also on the Council’s website.

Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 3 September.

Polling Places (Ward 15):

  • Nelson Hall Community Centre (New for 2026)
  • Blackford and Grange Parish Church Centre
  • St. Catherine’s Argyle Church
  • Newington Trinity Church
  • Reid Memorial Church Hall
  • 75th Braid Scouts’ Millar Hall
  • Cameron House Community Education Centre

Polling Places (Ward 17):

  • Portobello Library (New for 2026)
  • Branch Out Together
  • St Mark’s Episcopal Church (New for 2026)
  • Bingham Community Centre
  • St Martins Parish Church
  • Craigmillar Library
  • Hays Business Centre
  • Newcraighall Leith Victoria FC

The by-elections will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, rather than using a single cross. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.

The electronic count will take place at Waverley Court, starting at the close of poll at 10pm on September 3. 

“IS EDINBURGH  POLITICS AS LEFT AS IT THINKS IT IS?”

 The Communist Party of Britain’s (CPB) candidates in Edinburgh’s two by-elections have called out political opinion in the city.

The party is standing candidates Richard Shillcock (Southside/Newington ward) and Peter Olech (Portobello/Craigmillar ward) in the September 3rd council by-elections.

The Communist candidates note Edinburgh’s reputation for liberal politics. Many voters—particularly young ones—across Labour, Greens and the SNP see themselves as voting for a much better, new kind of Scotland.

But Communists are presenting crucially different policies to what is on offer from the other parties.

Communists say particular policies of Edinburgh’s established parties might sound good in isolation but they are overshadowed by the liberal commitment to rejoining the EU and/or to Scottish “independence”.

The EU. Rejoining the EU means accepting the EU’s foundational principles of the free movement of capital, goods and services, and its restrictions on state funding of industry.

Communists say we need to trade extensively with Europe but we need to be able to control the movement of capital and we need to be able to direct state-led investment if working people are ever to own and control a rebuilt productive economy.

“Independence”. Similarly, we need to control our own currency. A separate Scotland, in or out of the EU, means losing our central bank. Greece’s debt crisis had its roots in adopting the euro and losing its central bank.

Communists say the Scottish people have the right to decide whether to secede from the UK, but that better prospects for working people lie in strengthening working class organisation across Britain to win deeper and deeper federal autonomy in which working people own and control the productive economy.

Housing. Few idealistic voters would say “just let the market sort out housing”. But that is exactly what is happening when other parties’ housing policy is for a mix of measures like “affordable housing” at the expense of council housing. Communists say only large-scale, permanent investment in council housing, owned and run by the local authority, can solve the housing problem.

Women’s rights. Communists say that we need to urgently implement the Supreme Court ruling on sex in the Equality Act 2010. Local government should fully uphold women’s rights and protections under the Act, including the right to single-sex services. The Scottish Government should enforce the Act.

Violence against women. Liberal activists have been arguing that prostitution is “sex work”, that it is a mutually consensual transaction, that it can be empowering and that it should be decriminalised and destigmatised.

Communists say prostitution is not work. A woman’s body is not a workplace. Prostitution is unique sexual exploitation, reflecting class and sex inequalities. We need to support women to exit prostitution, with zero tolerance towards the sexual exploitation of women by men. 

Caring for each other. There is strong liberal support—in the Greens, LibDems and SNP—favouring assisted dying.

Communists stand with disabled activists in opposing assisted dying. It cannot be made safe. It will disproportionately endanger disabled people. Communists call for adequate funding for end-of-life care.

The local by-elections were triggered following the resignation of two local SNP councillors who were recently elected as MSPs to Holyrood. 

The Communist Party urges voters across Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar to use their ballot papers to vote for the policies they believe in—ones that will defend and extend the rights and the quality of life of working people.

Council By-elections: Communists urge voters to choose principles over ‘political tinkering’

The Communist Party of Britain is calling on voters in the upcoming City of Edinburgh Council by-elections to reject “political tinkering” and “vote for principles” to fix the city’s deepest problems.

The local by-elections take place on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The Communist Party is standing two candidates: Peter Olech in Portobello/Craigmillar and Richard Shillcock in Southside/Newington.

The candidates argue that while other parties try to manage a failing system, only the Communist Party offers a real alternative to more budget cuts and privatisation. 

They believe the only way to truly fix these issues is through permanent public ownership in three key areas:

Fixing the Housing and Homelessness Crisis: Other parties suggest market options like “affordable” rents or small planning changes. The Communists say private developers need a shortage of homes to keep their profits and share prices high. They argue the housing crisis will never be solved by the private market, calling instead for large-scale, permanent council housing built and run entirely by the local council.

Ending Council Cuts and Outsourcing: To handle tight budgets, other parties propose changing funding formulas or adding new local taxes on working people. The Communists argue that the wealthiest should pay, and public money must stay under public control. They want to end cuts and outsourcing, demanding that all public services be delivered directly by council workers with strong unions and good apprenticeship programmes.

Bringing Back Real Local Democracy: Other parties avoid the big issues or suggest moving paperwork between different levels of government. The Communists say shifting decisions around does not change who holds the real economic power. They argue that only public ownership gives communities true control over housing, energy, jobs, land, and food distribution.

“The other parties agree on the problems we face, but their policies only tinker at the edges,” said candidate Richard Shillcock. 

“We are asking voters to reject political games and on Thursday 3 September to vote for the socialist principles needed to transform local government.”

The Communist Party of Britain campaigns for a socialist society that puts working-class interests, public ownership, and democratic control of local services first.

The local by-elections were triggered following the resignation of two local SNP councillors who were recently elected as MSPs to Holyrood. 

The Communist Party urges voters across Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar to use their first vote and their numbered preference votes to opt for the policies they believe in—ones that will defend and extend the rights and the quality of life of working people.

Communist candidates condemn city council and ask: What is a feminist vote?

The Communist Party of Britain (CPB) has spoken out on  women’s rights and opportunities in its campaign for the September 3rd City of  Edinburgh Council by-elections. They ask ‘What is a feminist vote?’, ‘How do  council policies affect women and girls?’  

They condemn the City of Edinburgh Council for opposing the updated Equality and  Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Code of Practice on single-sex spaces, and for  failing to implement it.  

The party is standing candidates Richard Shillcock (Southside/Newington ward)  and Peter Olech (Portobello/Craigmillar ward). They are offering distinct feminist  policies within a socialist alternative to the mainstream parties.  

They say the lives of girls and women in Scotland are under attack—from the widening gap  between rich and poor, from cuts and underfunding and from an epidemic of male violence.  

Women’s lives.

We need to rebuild women’s ‘social wage’ by investing in public  services that lift the load from women in childcare and social care, and by  increasing bargaining power and raising wages for the women who work in them.  

Women’s rights.

We need to urgently implement the Supreme Court ruling on the  definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010. Edinburgh City Council must fully uphold  women’s rights and protections under the Act, including the right to single-sex  services. The Scottish Government should require all public bodies to fully  implement the Act.  

Violence against women.

We need to strengthen domestic abuse and sexual  assault services for women and children, with secure long term investment in  prevention. We need to support women to exit prostitution, with zero tolerance  towards the sexual exploitation of women by men.  

The local by-elections were triggered following the resignation of two local SNP  councillors who were recently elected as MSPs to Holyrood.

The Communist Party urges voters across Southside/Newington and Portobello/ Craigmillar to use their first vote and their numbered preference votes to opt for the  policies they believe in—ones that will defend and extend the rights and the quality  of life of working people.  

Communist candidates make Gaza City twinning central to Edinburgh by-election campaigns

Richard Shillcock and Peter Olech are launching a campaign featuring Palestinian flag leaflets to challenge UK complicity in the Gaza genocide and the involvement of local arms manufacturers.

Richard Shillcock, the Communist Party of Britain candidate for the Southside/Newington council by-election, has declared that the formal twinning of Edinburgh with Gaza City will be a key issue in the party’s campaign.

Speaking ahead of the 3 September 2026 council by-elections, Shillcock condemned the ongoing humanitarian crisis, uniting with fellow Communist candidate Peter Olech (standing in Portobello/Craigmillar ward) to call on all candidates to join a cross-party pledge supporting this international friendship move.

The Communist Party campaign features a unique election leaflet that folds out into the Palestinian flag for window display.

“As a father myself, it breaks my heart to have been protesting against the genocide in Gaza for nearly three years and to have been unable to prevent the murder of some 20,000 children there by the US-backed Israeli state, and the damaging and wounding of untold more children,” said Shillcock.

“I don’t need to describe this further—we’ve seen it on our screens every day.”

The move deliberately revives a contentious local political debate. In 2022, a citizen-led petition and a subsequent motion brought by Green councillors to explore twinning options were rejected by the City of Edinburgh Council following legal objections and administrative delays.

Richard Shillcock and Peter Olech are asking voters to use these elections to overturn that precedent.

In a joint statement, the candidates said: “We welcome other candidates and parties joining the pledge to pursue the twinning issue, whether or not elected to the council. Let’s see a majority of voters choosing candidates who support twinning Edinburgh with Gaza City.”

Richard Shillcock made three points linking Palestine directly to the Scottish capital:

  • Universal Humanity: The crisis is the defining moral issue of our generation.
  • State Complicity: The UK government continues to provide extensive military, economic, diplomatic, logistical, and intelligence support to the Israeli state.
  • Local Financial and Military Links: Corporate entities operating within Edinburgh connect the city directly to the Israeli state and military apparatus: the Leonardo UK arms company and Barclays Bank, a primary trader in Israeli government bonds.

The Communist Party of Britain is urging Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar voters to send a clear message against domestic complicity in overseas conflicts.

GATHER Community Arts Exhibition

🟡 Gather Exhibition 🟡

A Creative Community Hubs Network Event

We are hugely excited for Gather, a new exhibition showcasing work by artists and community members from across Edinburgh for the very first time.

This is a very special exhibition, and we’d love you to join us for it!

🟡 Gather Exhibition

📆 Private View: 11th September 2026, from 4:30pm

📆 Main Exhibition: 12th – 26th September 2026

📍St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE

🎫 Free. No need to book.

#creativecommunityhubsnetwork

#creativecommunities

#edinburghevents

#whatsonedinburgh

#edinburghexhibition

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The Creative Community Hubs Network consists of eight partner organisations based across Edinburgh: WHALE Arts, The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Granton:hub, North Edinburgh Arts, Duncan Place Leith, The Crannie, Lyra and Craigmillar Now

Candidates confirmed for Edinburgh by-elections

The candidates standing in the upcoming Southside/Newington (Ward 15) and Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) by-elections have been confirmed.

23 candidates will stand in these by-elections, which will elect one new councillor per ward, on Thursday 3 September 2026.

The candidates standing for election in the Southside/Newington ward are:

  • Ruth Elliot: SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
  • Derrick Emms: EDINBURGH & EAST LOTHIAN PEOPLE
  • Isabella Gastel Alejandre: SCOTTISH GREENS
  • Roisin Keirdashian: INDEPENDENT
  • Artie Khovanov: SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
  • Nick Layden: SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST
  • Richard Crewe Lucas: SCOTTISH FAMILY PARTY – CHRISTIAN VALUES
  • Sam Alexander Mackenzie: SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
  • Sean McGregor Moffat: ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM
  • Gary Neill: REFORM UK
  • Markham Rowbotham: EDINBURGH & EAST LOTHIAN PEOPLE
  • Richard Shillcock: COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRITAIN
  • Marc Wilkinson: EDINBURGH & EAST LOTHIAN PEOPLE

The candidates standing for election in the Portobello/Craigmillar ward are:

  • David Craig Ballantine: ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM
  • Niel Deepnarain: SCOTTISH FAMILY PARTY – CHRISTIAN VALUES
  • Pete Gregson: WORKERS PARTY OF BRITIAN
  • Lorenzo Martinico: SCOTTISH GREENS
  • Silas McGilvray: SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
  • Andrew McLaughlin: REFORM UK
  • Peter Olech: COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRITAIN
  • Liss Owen: SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
  • Jim Patrick Wyke: SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
  • Haris Young: SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST

The final candidate lists and further information are also available on the Council website.

Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said: “With nominations now closed and just over a month to go until polling day, residents in these wards can start thinking about who they will vote for.

“Councillors play a key role in our democratic system, making crucial decisions that impact our city.

“I’d encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote in plenty of time, and then make their voices heard in September.”

Poll cards will be delivered to registered voters in the area from today, with further information on when and where to vote.

If you live in these wards, the deadline to register to vote in these by-elections is 18 August. For new postal vote applications, it’s 19 August and for new proxy votes it’s 26 August.

Find out more about registering to vote on the Council website.

The election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, rather than using a single cross. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.

Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 3 September.

Please check your polling place as this may have changed since the last time you voted. If you bring your polling card to vote this will help us and speed up the process, but this isn’t mandatory.

Polling Places (Ward 15):

  • Nelson Hall Community Centre (New for 2026)
  • Blackford and Grange Parish Church Centre
  • St. Catherine’s Argyle Church
  • Newington Trinity Church
  • Reid Memorial Church Hall
  • 75th Braid Scouts’ Millar Hall
  • Cameron House Community Education Centre

Polling Places (Ward 17):

  • Portobello Library (New for 2026)
  • Branch Out Together
  • St Mark’s Episcopal Church (New for 2026)
  • Bingham Community Centre
  • St Martins Parish Church
  • Craigmillar Library
  • Hays Business Centre
  • Newcraighall Leith Victoria FC

The electronic count will take place at Waverley Court, starting at the close of poll at 10pm on September 3. 

Scottish Storytelling Centre marks 20th Anniversary with Fringe 2026 Programme and Opening of Craigmillar Tapestry Exhibition

Celebrating its 20th anniversary as the world’s first purpose-built home for live storytelling, the Scottish Storytelling Centre (SSC) is marking Fringe 2026 with one of its most ambitious programmes to date – presenting 33 shows spanning storytelling, theatre, music and spoken word and becoming the first venue on the Craigmillar Tapestry’s city-wide exhibition tour. 

This year for Fringe, audiences can journey from Shetland to Ancient Greece and beyond through contemporary retellings of myths, legends and traditional tales while acclaimed theatre explores Scottish language, identity, history and culture with exciting new work from home-grown and international artists.

The community-created Craigmillar Tapestry will take pride of place in the SSC’s exhibition space from 24 July to 31 August before continuing its tour across Edinburgh to Portobello, Craigmillar, Newcraighall and The Inch.

The Craigmillar Tapestry has been stitched by over 500 residents of Craigmillar and Niddrie, documenting the rich history of the area with makers weaving in elements of their own experience and cultures into the work – including traditional Syrian stitching, names of local activists and important landmarks around the area.

Each panel has been designed by Craigmillar-born artist Andrew Crummy MBE in consultation with communities around the Greater Craigmillar area.  Crummy has also worked on the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now housed in a purpose-built venue in Galashiels, and several other community-stitched tapestries.

The Craigmillar Tapestry is a particularly personal project, as the artist returns to his roots in Craigmillar and honours the legacy of his mother, the extraordinary activist and founding leader of the pioneering Craigmillar Festival Society, Helen Crummy MBE.

Andrew Crummy said: “All the tapestries I am involved with, like The Great Tapestry of Scotland are based on Community Arts ethos developed by The Craigmillar Festival Society.

“A way of using the Arts that has inspired and travelled the world. It is an honour to be involved in developing this Tapestry, with many involved, telling fantastic stories from an amazing community.

“It was originally an idea from my mother, the late Helen Crummy in 2010, who wanted to celebrate not only the history of Craigmillar, but all those who helped Craigmillar become a vibrant and rich community. As Helen’s favourite song says “History will be made, when the people play their part.”

The twenty tapestry panels celebrate the area’s history – with many illustrating historic sites that can be visited today such as the Neolithic ‘Niddrie Standing Stone’ on Greendykes Road, the remarkable, Medieval Craigmillar Castle. 

Other highlight pivotal historic contributions local people have made to Scottish life over the centuries, such as a panel dedicated to Agnes Moffat, a child coal-bearer who gave evidence to a national inquiry into child labour practices by the ‘Children’s Employment Commission’ in 1842.

Local stitcher Heather Henderson said: “I have been involved with the Craigmillar Tapestry since the start. I have enjoyed watching, taking part & teaching in helping to bring Andrew’s drawings for every panel, come alive with the stitches.

“I am so proud when I see every panel finished. It’s such an honour to see them. It’s done leaps and bounds with my mental health and it gives me a purpose to go out.”

Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Interim Head of Programming, Lauren Paterson says: ‘Our Fringe 2026 programme explores the connections and common ground we share across time, language and culture and it is therefore fitting that for Fringe 2026 and for the Centre’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, we can house this wonderful piece of art that champions community connection and collective local history.

“We’re so looking forward to welcoming the Tapestry and all those who will come to see it. The Tapestry will be displayed in the Storytelling Court, where every single audience member attending a show will get to see and engage with it, making it the real heart of our programme this year.”

SSC Fringe 2026 Prog – WebDownload