Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'Rhona Brankin, deputy Rural Affairs Minister and Labour MSP for Midlothian, complained to the parliamentary authorities after Mr Sheridan, leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, took up the case of one of her constituents, Vicky Haylott, a blind woman who was dragged naked from her bed in a house in Dalkeith by sherrif officers and evicted in May.' Murray Ritchie in the Herald, 5 th November 2001.

Midlothian (Lothians Region)

Candidates

	Colin Beattie (Also number 7 on Lothians list)
	Scottish National Party
	Colin is married and lives by Dalkeith, Midlothian. He has spent his entire career in Financial Services, working in a number of posts both in UK and overseas. Colin has been active in politics for some years and is currently local SNP Convener for Dalkeith & District. He also stood for election in Newtongrange Ward in 2003 coming second. He has been involved in supporting local campaigning issues such as the closure of rural schools in Midlothian and post office closures. Recent electoral experience 2003 Midlothian Council election, Newtongrange, 676 votes (36.05 %)
	Rhona Brankin MSP (Not standing on Lothians list)
	Labour
	Rhona Brankin was born on the 19 th January 1950 in an unknown location and her school education details are also unknown. he later studied at Jordanhill College School in Glasgow, Aberdeen University where she graduated with a BEd in History/Politics Studies. She obtained Primary teaching qualifications and a DipSE (Special Educational Needs) from Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh. From 1975 to 1977 she was a teacher at Dingwall Primary School, then from 1983 until 1984 a Learning Support Teacher at Invergordon Academy. From 1984 to 1988 she was a teacher at South Lodge Primary School, Invergordon, from 1988 to 1990 a senior teacher in Learning Support at Alness Academy and from 1990 to 1994 Principal Teacher in Learning Support at Inverness High School. From 1994 until her election in 1999 she was a Lecturer in Special Education Needs at Northern College, Dundee. A right-winger and Blairite loyalist, Brankin's appointment as Labour candidate for Midlothian was controvertial and local members complained that she had been forced upon them because of gender twinning to the detriment of popular local male candidates. Brankin is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Chair of the Scottish Library Information Council, a Trustee of the Scottish Mining Museum a Board Member of Volunteering First, Midlothian and a Member of the National Trust for Scotland, the Socialist Environment and Resources Association, the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, and the Co-operative party. She is married with two grown-up daughters and outside politics she enjoys music, horse riding and outdoor pursuits. Ministerial positions May 1999 - October 2000 - Deputy Minister for Culture & Sport October 2000 - November 2001 - Deputy Minister for Environment & Rural Development October 2004 - June 2005 - Deputy Minister for Health & Community Care June 2005 - Deputy Minister for Environment & Rural Development Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish parliament election, Midlothian, 11,139 votes (47.29 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish parliament election, Midlothian, 14,467 votes (48.62 %) (elected)
	Ross Laird (Not standing on Lothians list)
	Liberal Democrat
	Ross Laird was born in Glenrothes and educated at Auchmuty High School the University of Glasgow. He worked for Baroness Michie of Gallanach when she was the Lib Dem MSP for Argyll & Bute, and was also a Lib Dem Cllr in London, leading the Lib Dem group in Haringey. He currently works as the manager for Citigate Public Affairs. His interests include football, poetry, Central and Eastern Europe and learning the Slovenian language. Recent electoral experience 1997 Westminster election, Central Fife, 2,610 votes (6.40 %) Previously Cllr for the London Borough of Haringey.
	P J Lewis (Not standing on Lothians list)
	Conservative & Unionist
	All his life, as a soldier, voluntary worker, businessman and farmer, PJ Lewis has focused on the simple things: his family, serving the community, keeping promises and achieving goals. Keeping things simple has become his mantra: 'I don't believe it makes sense to take things - power, responsibility, money through taxes - deduct a bit and then give the rest back. So I champion just leaving it with people in the first place.' As a motorbike and skiing enthusiast PJ is not one to shirk danger but is a staunch believer of risk in moderation. He was originally selected as eighth on the Tory list but is no longer a list candidate. Recent electoral experience.
	George McCleery (Also number 1 on Lothians list)
	The Had Enough Party
	George McCleery is 54 and lives at Milton Bridge near Penicuik. He moved his family business from Stickbridge in Edinburgh to Loadhead in 2003. He believes local MSP Rhona Brankin has been of no help in the fight to reduce business and water rates for more-energy efficient premises. He says "After four years, three visits to Rhona Brankin and numerous letters, and after being informed that she would fight our case as she had a special interest as Deputy Environment Minister, we have never received any reply as to why our business rates and water rates should increase. I was so disgusted that I and other like-minded people have started our own political party." Recent electoral experience

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 35 (43 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 11.77 % from Labour to Scottish National Party

Rank on Conservative hit list: 54 (56 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 18.22 % from Labour to Conservative

Rank on Liberal Democrat hit list: 40 (37 in 2003)
Swing required for Liberal Democrat gain: 17.92 % from Labour to Liberal Democrat

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 49,286 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Midlothian: 49,286 (100.0 %)

Local Government wards in the constituency

Previous results

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 48,319. Turnout 23,556, 48.75 % (- 12.76 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour Co-op	Rhona Brankin MSP	11,139	47.29 %	- 1.33 %
	Scottish National Party	Graham Sutherland	5,597	23.76 %	- 6.29 %
	Liberal Democrat	Jacqui Bell	2,700	11.46 %	+ 0.76 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Rosemary Macarthur	2,557	10.85 %	+ 2.30 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Bob Goupillot	1,563	6.64 %	(+ 6.64 %)
	Labour Co-op hold	Labour Co-op majority	5,542	23.53 %	+ 4.96 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 48,319. Turnout 23,571, 48.78 % 174 rejected ballot papers
Logo	Party	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	8,393	35.61 %	- 2.36 %
	Scottish National Party	4,492	19.06 %	- 10.25 %
	Margo MacDonald MSP (Independent)	2,654	11.26 %	(+ 11.26 %)
	Conservative & Unionist	2,087	8.85 %	- 0.29 %
	Scottish Green Party	1,673	7.10 %	+ 2.99 %
	Liberal Democrats	1,599	6.78 %	2.67 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,171	4.97 %	- 3.62 %
	Pensioners's Party	596	2.53 %	(+ 2.53 %)
	Socialist Labour Party	268	1.14 %	- 4.32 %
	Liberal Party In Scotland	246	1.04 %
	UK Independence Party	91	0.39 %	(+ 0.39 %)
	Adam Lyle's Witchery Tour Party	90	0.38 %
	Pro-Life Party	74	0.31 %	+ 0.08 %
	Scottish Peoples Alliance	71	0.30 %	(+ 0.30 %)
	Mary Campbell (Independent)	39	0.17 %
	Peter Gatensbury (Independent)	14	0.06 %
	Alexander Scott (Independent)	13	0.06 %
	Labour majority	3,901	16.55 %	+ 7.89 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Rhona Brankin	14,467	48.62 %	- 4.89 %
	Scottish National Party	Angus Robertson	8,942	30.05 %	+ 4.54 %
	Liberal Democrat	John Elder	3,184	10.70 %	+ 1.52 %
	Conservative & Unionist	George Turnbull	2,544	8.55 %	- 2.35 %
	Independent	Douglas Pryde	618	2.08 %	+ 2.08 %
	Labour win	Labour majority	5,525	18.57 %	- 9.43 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list vote result

Logo	Party	Votes	%
	Labour	11,285	37.97 %
	Scottish National Party	8,709	29.31 %
	Liberal Democrats	3,153	10.61 %
	Conservative & Unionist	2,715	9.14 %
	Socialist Labour Party	1,622	5.46 %
	Scottish Green Party	1,220	4.11 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	400	1.35 %
	Liberal Party	201	0.68 %
	Witchery Tour Party	118	0.40 %
	ProLife Alliance	68	0.23 %
	Braveheart	63	0.21 %
	Natural Law Party	44	0.15 %
	Socialist Party of Great Britain	41	0.14 %
	Civil Rights Movement	32	0.11 %
	Independent Voice for Scottish Parliament	22	0.07 %
	Anti-Corruption, Mobile Home Scandal, Roads	12	0.04 %
	Independent Independent	0	0.00 %
	Labour majority	2,576	8.66 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Eric Clarke	18,861	53.51 %
	Scottish National Party	Laurence Millar	8,991	25.51 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Anne Harper	3,842	10.90 %
	Liberal Democrat	Richard Pinnock	3,235	9.18 %
	Referendum	Keith Docking	320	0.91%
	Labour hold	Labour majority	9,870	28.00 %

Links

• Edinburgh & Lothians SNP
  
  
• Midlothian SNP
  
  
• Had Enough Party