Holyrood elections 2026: Tories announce regional list candidates for Edinburgh and Lothians East
Miles Briggs has won the Tories' number one slot for the new Edinburgh and Lothians East region at the Scottish Parliament elections in May.
A ballot of party members throughout the area to rank the eligible candidates chose Mr Briggs - a Lothian list MSP since 2016 - in top place, followed by Sue Webber, who has been a Lothian list MSP since the last elections in 2021.
Mr Briggs is also standing in the East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs constituency and Ms Webber in Edinburgh South Western.
Third place on the list went to city councillor Marie-Clair Munro, who is also standing in Edinburgh Southern; number four is fellow councillor Christophr Cowdy, candidate in Edinburgh Northern; number five is long-serving councillor Jo Mowat, candidate in Edinburgh Central; and sixth place went to another councillor Tim Jones, candidate for Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent.
The Tories won three list seats in Lothian at the 2021 elections, but there may be more competition this time.
Mr Briggs said: "We want to spread the message that last time we stopped the SNP winning a majority here in Lothian. It was only because people lent the Conservatives their regional peach vote that we stopped that majority.
"I hope people will look at both myself and Sue and give us their support. Lothian is probably going to be one of the most changing regions politically - the Lib Dems, Greens and Labour are targeting the SNP in constituencies like never before, so I think there is a good pathway for two Conservatives and we want to turbo-charge that peach campaign across the region to make sure we keep three seats. We were close to four last time."
Asked about the threat from Reform UK, he said: "I don't think Lothian is as susceptible to Reform. We've no idea who their candidates are, they haven't been turning up to any public meetings or hustings at the moment.
"And the key message I've been trying to put to people is: By voting Reform, you're just going to help the SNP. Looking at the regional vote, things will be so close that any vote for Reform or anyone who is a Conservative voter going to Reform will just hand seats to the SNP.
"More importantly, for people who want to see the SNP held to account, the Conservatives have done that over the last two parliaments."
The new Edinburgh and Lothians East region includes all seven city constituencies and Midlothian North, plus East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs which was previously in the South of Scotland region.
But the West Lothian constituencies, previously part of Lothian region, are now in the new Central Scotland and Lothians West region.