EDINBURGH — Labour is facing an important local test in two council by-elections in the capital, with the party looking to build on its position in the City of Edinburgh Council ahead of the next full elections in 2027.
Why these by-elections matter
Four and a half years after Labour narrowly won Edinburgh’s council elections, the party’s role in running the city remains closely watched. At that time, then-group leader Cammy Day struck a deal with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, and the combined unionist majority edged out a SNP-Green coalition.
Today, the administration has 11 councillors, fewer than the SNP and Liberal Democrats and equal with the Scottish Greens. But after two SNP councillors resigned following their election to Holyrood in May, Labour now has a chance to regain momentum in the city.
Labour candidates in Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar
Ruth Elliott is standing for Labour in Thursday’s Southside/Newington by-election. The 24-year-old, who was previously a student and sabbatical officer at Edinburgh University, has run an active social media campaign during the festival period.
Ms Elliott, who is originally from West Cumbria, said: “I have been doing a lot of door knocking, which has gone broadly really well.
“I’ve also put a lot of work into my social media campaign. We felt that because the city was so busy because of the festival, we might not be able to reach everybody [via traditional means].
“It is quite daunting to put yourself out on social media,” she added. “That can have quite dangerous consequences, particularly for young women.”
In Portobello/Craigmillar, Labour is pinning its hopes on Jim Wyke, a civil servant and childrens’ rights campaigner. Born in Musselburgh and educated at Portobello High School, Mr Wyke previously spent six years as an SNP member before leaving the party in 2021.
“I was an SNP member for six years,” he said. “I left in 2021 because I’d seen enough of how the party works from the inside, and I didn’t believe it was serious about the change this country needs.
I love this city and want to give back to the place that’s given me so much,” Mr Wyke added. “But I also see the problems it faces: unaffordable housing, infrastructure that hasn’t kept pace with growth, and local politics that’s becoming more polarised.”
Local issues dominate doorstep conversations
Both candidates said voters have been focusing more on practical ward issues than on national party politics.
Ms Elliott, whose ward includes much of Edinburgh University, said: “It is hard to pick one. I think the state of the roads in the city [is a key issue], as well as cost of living, affordable housing, and the impact of the festivals.”
Mr Wyke said: “The biggest challenge is the landlords, rent-seekers and big business who exploit that community and give nothing back.
“I stand with our communities against that exploitation and against the NIMBYism that holds this city back.”
Asked about perceptions of a growing Scottish Green vote, he said: “People across the ward, Edinburgh and Scotland are crying out for a progressive politics.
“That’s a fair demand. It’s up to Labour, locally and nationally, to show we can deliver on it for working people.
“I don’t believe in talking down other parties,” he added. “That’s not the politics I’m interested in, and voters have had enough of it. There’s more that unites all of us, including me and the Green candidate, than divides us.
“I can’t speak for the Greens. But I know who I am, I know the politics I believe in, and I know what Labour in Edinburgh has already delivered.”
Ms Elliott said the party debate had not come up often while canvassing and that residents were more interested in local concerns. She added that her disagreements with the SNP are “less of a policy thing and more of an approach to politics in general”.
“The SNP like to say a lot of things and grandstanding about issues without doing anything,” she added.
Mr Wyke said he is confident he can bridge what he sees as a gap between Portobello and Craigmillar.
“The biggest strength here is the people,” he said. “Portobello/Craigmillar is one of the most desirable places to live in the world because of its residents – hard-working, down-to-earth, and as kind as you’ll find anywhere.
“Those who’d play one part of this city off against another – rich against poor, new arrivals against long-time residents – have no place in our politics.”
When to vote
Voters in Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar can cast their ballots between 7 am and 10 pm on Thursday, September 3.
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