Current MSP: Colin Keir (SNP) [MSP website]
Party Candidate Votes +/– % +/–
SNP Colin Keir 11965 +4424 35.8 +13.3
Lib Dem Margaret Smith * 9276 -4024 27.7 -11.9
Labour Lesley Hinds 7164 +2008 21.4 +6.1
Conservative Gordon Lindhurst 5047 -1971 15.1 -5.8
Majority 2689 Turnout 33452 Swing +12.6% SNP gain
Margaret Smith had been MSP for Edinburgh West since 1999 but was beaten by Councillor Colin Keir. Despite being top of the Lothian list for the Liberal Democrats, she was unable to win her way back into Holyrood in 2011.

Notes: Given boundary changes since 2007, variations in votes and share between seats with different boundaries would be misleading. We use the Denver figures, essentially a calculation of the 2007 votes cast within 2011 boundaries. More information on this here.

Symbols used:

* – Incumbent
^ – Challenger holding a list seat in previous Parliament
# – Lost deposit
National Central Scotland Glasgow Highlands & Islands Lothian Mid-Scotland & Fife North East Scotland South Scotland West Scotland
Almond Valley Edinburgh Central Edinburgh Eastern Edinburgh Northern & Leith Edinburgh Pentlands Edinburgh Southern Edinburgh Western Linlithgow Midlothian North & Musselburgh