Edinburgh East was one of five constituencies covering the City of Edinburgh council area. All were entirely within the city council area. Prior to the 2005 general election, the city area was covered by six constituencies, with Edinburgh East and Musselburgh straddling the boundary with the East Lothian council area.
1885–1918: The municipal wards of Broughton, Calton, and Canongate of the burgh of Edinburgh, and so much of St. Leonard's ward as lies to the north of a line drawn along the centres of East and West Richmond Streets.[2]
1918–1950: The burgh of Musselburgh and the Canongate and Portobello municipal wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh.[3]
1950–1955: The burgh of Musselburgh and the Craigentinny, Craigmillar and Portobello wards (as constituted by the Local Government (Scotland) (Edinburgh Wards) Order 1948, SI 1948/1138) of the county of the city of Edinburgh.[4]
1955–1974: The burgh of Musselburgh and the Craigentinny, Portobello and Craigmillar (with the exception of the area added by the Edinburgh Corporation Order Confirmation Act 1954).[5]
1974–1983: The burgh of Musselburgh and the Craigmillar, Craigentinny and Portobello wards of the county of the city of Edinburgh.[6]
1983–1997: Electoral divisions 22 (Calton/Lochend), 30 (Willowbrae/Mountcastle), 31 (Portobello/Milton) and 39 (Niddrie/Craigmillar) and ward 30 (Craigentinny) of the City of Edinburgh.[7]
2005–2024: The City of Edinburgh wards of Tollcross, Southside, Holyrood, Meadowbank, Mountcastle, Leith Links, Restalrig, Portobello, Milton, Prestonfield, Craigmillar, and Duddingston.[8]
The constituency of the 1885 to 1997 period was created when the Edinburgh constituency was abolished, in favour of four new constituencies: Edinburgh East, Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh South and Edinburgh West. Edinburgh Central was abolished in 2005. The South and West constituencies continue in use, with altered boundaries.
Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
^"Chap. 23. Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885". The Public General Acts of the United Kingdom passed in the forty-eighth and forty-ninth years of the reign of Queen Victoria. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1885. pp. 111–198.
^"The Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) (Midlothian, Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, and Edinburgh East) Order 1955. SI 1955/30". Statutory Instruments 1955. Part II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1956. pp. 2206–2208.