Local Government in East Lothian

Malcolm Duncan

The county convenors' list indicates the shift in less than 100 years from local landowners who took a leading role in county administration and a continuation of the medieval feudal tradition, to a new political reality in local government. East Lothian was never part of the central Scotland industrial heartland, but had strong Labour roots in the coal mining areas around Ormiston, Tranent and Prestonpans. Labour could represent the town councils and local areas there, but never achieved a majority in the County Council, even counting burgh representatives on the County Council. From 1974-1975 the Labour Party was in control of the District Council, party organisation was disciplined and explicit, political 'groups' were the reality. It was not a one party change. The elections to the new Districts and Regions in 1974 were the first elections in East Lothian when Conservative local government candidates all stood as such under that Conservative name.

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© 2004 Fourth Statistical Account of East Lothian Society