General election 2024: Labour's Scott Arthur defeats SNP MP Joanna Cherry in Edinburgh South West

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SNP MP Joanna Cherry lost her seat to Labour’s Scott Arthur despite her record as an independent-minded politician and an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.

Mr Arthur, who will now step down as a councillor and Edinburgh’s transport convener, won with a majority of 6,217. But in his speech at the count he said he was surprised to find himself the MP for Edinburgh South West.

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Ms Cherry had hoped her reputation and her high profile - leading the case against Boris Johnson over his unlawful prorogation of parliament at the height of the Brexit battle - might save her from the voters’ desire to punish the SNP. And Labour saw the seat as the most difficult in the Capital to win.

In his speech at the count, Mr Arthur said: “We did not come here tonight expecting to win, so it really is humbling - I cannot believe it. I obviously want to thank everyone who voted for me - I will not let you down. But I’m really mindful only a minority of people voted for me and I have won on a minority vote, the nature of first past the post. But I’m here to represent everyone in the constituency whether you voted for me or not.

We’ve been listening to a lot of people right through this campaign and as we go through the difficult weeks, months and even years ahead as we get our country back on track, we will not stop listening to people here and right across the country.”

In her speech, Ms Cherry said: “Labour have promised change and now they must deliver on that promise. Mere rhetoric is not enough. As the suffragettes argued, it is by your deeds and not by your words that you will be remembered.

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“Labour’s great lost leader John Smith said that all he wanted was the chance to serve his country. That is a chance that I too would like, but for now, at UK level at least, Labour has the chance to serve and I wish them well in doing that.

“But I hope they will not forget that Scotland is a different country - and I hope they will also remember that women make up 51 per cent of our population. The rights of women to dignity, privacy and safety should not be ignored or sidelined by any political leader and we should not be demonised for airing those rights.

“I’m going to take some time now to decide what I do next, but whatever I decide to do I shall continue to contribute to the debate about Scotland’s constitutional future, I will continue to stand up for the rule of law, as I did against Boris Johnson when he unlawfully shut down our parliament.

“But most importantly I shall continue to stand up for universal human rights, for equality for all, but most particularly for the rights of women and the rights of lesbians.”

Scott Arthur - Scottish Labour Party: 18,663

Joanna Cherry - Scottish National Party (SNP): 12,446

Sue Webber - Scottish Conservative and Unionist: 5,558

Dan Heap - Scottish Greens: 3,450

Bruce Roy Wilson - Scottish Liberal Democrats: 3,014

Ian Harper - Reform UK: 2,087

Richard Crewe Lucas - Scottish Family Party: 265

Marc Richard Wilkinson - Independent: 181

Labour majority 6,217

Turnout: 62.09%

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