Edinburgh South by-election, 1917

The Edinburgh South by-election, 1917 was a parliamentary by-election held for the House of Commons constituency of Edinburgh South in Scotland on 12 May 1917.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting Liberal MP, Charles Henry Lyell. Lyell, who was formerly MP for East Dorset from 1904-1910, had been MP for Edinburgh South since winning the seat in a by-election in April 1910. He was a serving member of the armed forces during the Great War, having joined the Fife Royal Garrison Artillery on the outbreak of war. He was on active service until 1917 when he was appointed Military Attaché to the USA.

It was widely believed that the seat was marked out for Sir George McCrae, former MP for Edinburgh East. The Chief Liberal Whip of the Coalition government, Neil Primrose was standing down and if a seat could be found for him the position was to be offered to McCrae. However on 19 April 1917, the executive committee of South Edinburgh Liberals selected Sir Edward Parrott, the chairman of their Association and of the Edinburgh United Liberal Committee, as their candidate. Parrott was described as a Gladstonian Liberal of the old school with a loyalty to Mr Asquith but his selection ahead of the government’s preferred choice was not challenged by the prime minister.

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