Edinburgh transport convener Scott Arthur to stand for Westminster against Joanna Cherry

Labour selects Scott Arthur as candidate for Edinburgh South West at general election

Edinburgh’s transport convener Scott Arthur has been chosen as the Labour candidate to stand against SNP MP Joanna Cherry at the next general election.

The Colinton/Fairmilehead councillor was selected by local party members to fight Edinburgh South West, where Ms Cherry had a majority of 11,982 over the Tories at the last election in 2019. Cllr Arthur emerged as victor in a three-cornered contest with fellow Labour councillor Lezley Marion Cameron and party activist Catriona Munro.

Recently-published predictions by Electoral Calculus, based on polling, suggested Ms Cherry would be the only SNP MP in Edinburgh or the Lothians to hold onto her seat. It showed her winning with a reduced majority of 1,472 thanks to a big swing to Labour.

Scott Arthur says it was a difficult decision to put his name forward for Westminster because he 'loves being a councillor'.

Cllr Arthur said: “Electoral Calculus only gave the SNP a 52 per cent chance of holding the seat and it put us just 2.6 per cent behind them, so I think this is our best chance of winning it since Alistair Daring last won it in 2010. It’s an incredibly difficult decision for me because I love being a councillor, but to close the gap between us and the SNP we need a good candidate to give us the best chance of winning the seat, so that’s why I went forwards.

"People are fed up with the Tory government, they want change and we need to deliver that by getting as many Labour MPs as possible. It is a tough seat for us to win.”