This is one of the most attractive urban seats in Britain. It includes the landmarks of the Castle, Arthur's Seat, St Giles' Cathedral, the shopper’s haven Princes Street, Waverley train station, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Murrayfield rugby stadium. Edinburgh is of course Scotland’s capital and home to the famous international festival.
Both the interim Scottish Parliament building on the Mound, which overlooks Princes Street and the site of its ultimate home at Holyrood, at the foot of the great crag Arthur’s Seat, lie within this constituency. Many of Edinburgh University’s older buildings are found within the boundaries of Central too.
The city’s booming financial sector is based largely in this constituency, and its multitude of historic and picturesque attractions make tourism big business here. This seat has a very high proportion of professional and managerial workers in relation to the rest of Scotland, and is also home to the highest number of residents born outside Scotland (mainly from England).
Edinburgh Central has been held by Labour since 1945 with the exception of a period between 1983 and 1987 when it was represented by Conservative Sir Alex Fletcher.