Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'The moment the BBC starts kow-towing to government, you might as well close it down.' Gavyn Davies, who resigned as Chairman of the Board of Governors on the 28 th January 2004.

Edinburgh North & Leith

Candidates

	Iain McGill
	Conservative & Unionist
	Iain McGill is 30 years old and is currently director of the Harmony Employment Agency. On leaving school Iain joined Royal Mail as a postman. After this Iain worked as an aid worker overseas, in Albania, Brasil, Zimbabwe, Zambi, Malawi & Mozambique. On his return he spent 6 years working with the homeless in Edinburgh before starting his own business in July 2005. Iain has stood in council elections & was Westminster candidate in Midlothian at the last general election, always increasing the Conservative vote. Iain is a member of his local Church, player/manager of an amateur football team, runs marathons & referees. He recently refereed the Homeless World Cup Final in Cape Town, SA. Iain is convenor of the licensing commitee of his local community council, is vice chair of the South East Sports Facilities Project, who are actively trying to improve football facilities for youth & amateur players across Scotland, and is on the steering group of Hoveraid & the Technical Comitee of the Homeless World Cup. Iain sits on the management comitee of "The Yard" adventure playground for children & young people with additional support needs. Iain's motiviations are to make a real difference for the vulnerable in society, and having worked for 10 years supporting people feels that massive positive changes in societys most vulnerable peoples lives can only be made from Government. This, added to Iain's strong belief in the Union being of benifit to the whole of the UK and his desire to see smaller Government with less state interference and lower taxes led Iain to join the Conservative party and campaign on their behalf. Recent electoral experience. 2007 Scottish Parliament election, Airdrie &, Shotts, 2,370 (8.73 %) 2007 Scottish Parliament election, seventh on Tory South of Scotland list, 24,253 (8.52 %) 2005 Westminster election, Midlothian, 3,537 votes (9.38 %)
	Who?
	Labour
	Ministerial Posts: Recent electoral experience
	Who?
	Liberal Democrat
	Recent electoral experience
	Who?
	Scottish National Party
	Recent electoral experience

Westminster Election, 5 th May 2005

Electorate 68,038 Turnout: 62.67 %
	Marek Lazarowicz MP
	Labour Co-op
	Votes	14,597
	%	34.23 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 7.64 % / - 7.97 %
	Mike Crockart
	Liberal Democrat
	Votes	12,444
	%	29.18 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	+ 8.87 % / + 8.49 %
	Cllr Iain Whyte
	Conservative & Unionist
	Votes	7,969
	%	18.69 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	+ 0.04 % / + 0.51 %
	David Hutchison
	Scottish National Party
	Votes	4,344
	%	10.19 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 4.20 % / - 4.15 %
	Mark Sydenham
	Scottish Green Party
	Votes	2,482
	%	5.82 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	(+ 5.82 %) / (+ 5.82 %)
	Bill Scott
	Scottish Socialist Party
	Votes	804
	%	1.89 %
	% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)	- 1.75 % / - 1.64 %
Notional Labour Co-op hold
Labour Co-op majority		2,153
% majority		5.05 %
% change since 2001 (Denver/Baxter figures)		- 16.51 % / - 16.46 %

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Labour	16,872	41.87 %		17,110	42.20 %
	Liberal Democrat	8,184	20.31 %		8,388	20.69 %
	Conservative & Unionist	7,515	18.65 %		7,367	18.18 %
	Scottish National Party	5,799	14.39 %		5,816	14.34 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,465	3.64 %		1,432	3.53 %
	Others	463	1.15 %		435	1.07 %
Notional Labour win	Notional Labour majority	8,688	21.56 %		8,722	21.51 %