Tag: General Election

Righting the Wrongs: Poverty Alliance launches general election manifesto

Poverty campaigners have published their demands for the next UK Government, with calls for a range of policy commitments to help stem the rising tide of poverty.

In Righting the wrongs: A manifesto to tackle poverty, the Poverty Alliance urge the next UK Government to put solving poverty at the heart of all that it does, including by creating a more compassionate social security system, building a labour market that works for everyone, and protecting people on low incomes from the effects of Brexit. Continue reading Righting the Wrongs: Poverty Alliance launches general election manifesto

General Election 2019: Your candidates confirmed

UK General Election – 12 December 2019

Candidates in Edinburgh have been confirmed as:

Edinburgh East

GILMORE, Sheila – Scottish Labour Party
MILLER, Claire Helen Innes – Scottish Green Party
PRICE, Eleanor Margaret Louise – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
REILLY, Jill Mary – Scottish Liberal Democrats
SHEPPARD, Tommy – Scottish National Party (SNP)

Edinburgh North and Leith

ASTBURY, Heather Jane – Renew
BROCK, Deidre Leanne – Scottish National Party (SNP)
BURGESS, Steve – Scottish Green Party
MCGILL, Iain – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
MUNRO, Gordon John – Labour and Co-operative Party
SPEIRS, Robert – Brexit Party
WILSON, Bruce Roy – Scottish Liberal Democrats

Edinburgh South

BEAL, Alan Christopher – Scottish Liberal Democrats
COOK, Nick – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
MACDONALD, Catriona Mary Elizabeth – Scottish National Party
MURRAY, Ian – Scottish Labour Party
NEVENS, Kate – Scottish Green Party

Edinburgh South West

BALLANTINE, David Craig – Brexit Party
BROWN, Mev – Social Democratic Party Scotland
CHERRY, Joanna Catherine – Scottish National Party (SNP)
COOKE, Sophie – Scottish Labour Party
INGLIS, Tom – Scottish Liberal Democrats
LAIDLAW, Callum Arron – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
PARKER, Ben – Scottish Green Party

Edinburgh West

BOLTON, Craig William – Scottish Labour Party
GUNN, Elaine – Scottish Green Party
HUTCHISON, Graham James – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
JARDINE, Christine Anne – Scottish Liberal Democrats
MASSON, Sarah Louise – Scottish National Party (SNP)

Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and Returning Officer for Edinburgh in the UK Parliamentary Elections, said: “The forthcoming election has dominated the news for all sorts of reasons and I’m certain it’s a big talking point for residents in Edinburgh and beyond.

“It’s essential that anyone that wants to take part in the vote makes sure they are registered – it’s easy to do.

“Visit gov.uk/register-to-vote to check if you’re registered by 26 November – it only takes a few minutes. Those who have already registered will soon begin receiving poll cards – read your poll card carefully to make sure you get to the right place to cast your vote on polling day.”

To vote in the UK Parliamentary Elections on 12 December, voters must be aged 18 or over and either a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.

Voter registration closes at midnight on Tuesday 26 November. Anyone already registered for the European Election on 23 May does not need to re-register.

However, anyone who has changed address since then needs to re-register to be able to vote in the UK Parliamentary Elections on 12 December. Visit the voter registration website to register.

Applications for postal votes must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 26 November.

Applications to vote by proxy must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday 4 December.

Postal ballot packs will soon be sent out to residents who have registered. Postal voters are encouraged to return their completed ballots as soon as possible.

Voters should mark an X beside one candidate.

Find out more about where, when and how to vote.

Tartan Tory resurgence may save May

It’s a hung parliament 

Scotland’s ten Tory MPs have saved the day for Theresa May. The Tory leader went to the country to secure a bigger working majority only for her gamble to misfire spectacularly. With only four results still to be announced the Tories have lost twelve seats and have 315 MPs – well short of the 326 needed for a majority. Mrs May must now broker a deal with Ulster’s ten Democratic Unionist MPs to enable her to run the country: hardly a recipe for ‘strong and stable’ government. Continue reading Tartan Tory resurgence may save May

Edinburgh’s general election by numbers

With less than a week to go until the UK General Election, preparations are well under way in Edinburgh. Here are some of the numbers that go into running the election in the Capital’s five constituencies:

143: the number of polling places across the city (buildings in which people vote), which house 336 polling stations, each with one ballot box.

There are five constituencies in Edinburgh: Edinburgh East, Edinburgh North and Leith, Edinburgh South, Edinburgh South West and Edinburgh West.

22 candidates are standing across the five constituencies, representing 6 different parties.

There are 352,600 people registered to vote in Edinburgh, with 79,963 of these postal voters. This is an increase of 8.3% in postal voters compared to the local elections on 4 May (74,481) and the highest number of postal voters since the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 (81,666).

As of Tuesday 30 May, Edinburgh has had 33.1% of all the postal votes returned.

3000 books of ballot papers will be used by polling staff on 8 June.

More than 3600 pencils will be available and attached to polling stations using a total of 360 balls of string (more than two miles in length) – though voters do not have to use pencil and can bring their own pens.

745 polling staff will make sure voting runs smoothly in Edinburgh during the day on 8 June, while 510 count staff will count the city’s votes that night.

There is one mobile polling place in Edinburgh, the mobile library, which is parked at Forrester Park Avenue.

Amongst the equipment used across polling places during the day will be approximately 300 yellow post-its, 150 black bin bags, 84 sets of pliers and 500 fingerettes.

While 16 and 17-year-olds were able to vote in the Scottish Referendum and the recent local elections, voters must be 18 to take part in the General Election.

More numbers still…

At the recent Scottish Local Government Elections on 4 May 2017, Edinburgh had more postal votes returned – 55,056 – than any other council in Scotland.  Edinburgh also had more votes to count 187,157 than any other of the 32 councils.

Edinburgh counts for around 9% of Scotland’s electorate – second most behind Glasgow.

Sweet spot: count staff will eat around 2800 boiled sweets on the night of 8 June.

Edinburgh uses cardboard polling booths – they are recyclable and save over £5000 in repair and maintenance costs for each election.

Polls open at 7am on 8 June and close at 10pm.

Find out more about when, where and how to vote.