Edinburgh council by-election: Former councillor and MP Sheila Gilmore to stand for Labour in Colinton/Fairmilehead

Sheila Gilmore, who served on the council for 16 years and later spent five years as MP for Edinburgh East, has been selected as Labour's candidate for the council by-election in Colinton/Fairmilehead ward on Novembr 14. It follows the resignation of former transport convener Scott Arthur, who was elected Labour MP for Edinburgh South West at the general election.

Ms Gilmore, 74, served as the city's housing convener for eight years before stepping down in 2007.  She was elected an MP in 2010 after Gavin Strang decided not to stand again, but lost to the SNP's Tommy Sheppard in the following general election in 2015.

Sheila Gilmore

A previous attempt to return to the council in 2017 was thwarted because she had accepted a £16,000 "golden goodbye" when she stepped down 10 years earlier. It was part of a drive by the then-Scottish Executive to "refresh" local government and bring in new blood before proportional representation was introduced. But those who took the payment were also barred from standing as a councillor again.

Ms Gilmore said the rule had now been scrapped so she was free to stand. She said: "There had been some criticism it was the only kind of exclusion you could never recover from - you could be bankrupt, you could go to prison, you could do all sorts of things and all those restrictions could come to an end under certain circumstances, yet this one didn't have any sunset clause.

"At the time, the payment was partly recognition that councillors might have done quite a lot of years but had no pension provision at all."

Ms Gilmore said she had thought carefully before putting her name forward and believed she had something to contribute."I think I've got something to offer - I've got experience, I've got energy, I'm still keen to see us do the best we can for the city of Edinburgh.”

Although she previously represented Moredun on the council, Ms Gilmore is no stranger to the Colinton/Fairmilehead area.  She spent part of her childhood in Colinton Mains and went to Oxgangs Primary School. She stood as Labour candidate in Edinburgh Pentlands in the 2007 Holyrood election and also served as election agent for MP Ian Murray in Edinburgh South, which covers part of the ward.  

And she said: "When I was housing convener, it was part of the job to work with tenants' and residents' groups across the city.  And in Oxgangs, it was during that period we planned the demolition and subsequent replacement of the three high-rise blocks there."

Colinton/Fairmilehead was not traditionally seen as natural Labour territory.  But Ms Gilmore says recent results suggest she is in a "fairly strong" position to win. Mr Arthur was elected in 2017 and topped the poll in the ward at the last council elections in 2022.  And his general election victory and Labour's strong election performance were also encouraging, she said. But she added: "We have to work hard to show we deserve to win."

Council leader Cammy Day said Ms Gilmore would be a valuable addition to the Labour group.

He said: “Sheila comes with a wealth of knowledge in the city as a local community activist, former councillor and  Member of Parliament. Her strong commitment to serving local communities was proven in all of her local and political work over many years. 

“Edinburgh Labour are excited to select Sheila and the  Labour movement will be out in force supporting her in the by-election to replace Scott Arthur.   Councillor Arthur has been a great local councillor and will be hugely missed in the Labour group and the council.”