Caerfyrddin (UK Parliament constituency)
Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
![]() Boundary of Caerfyrddin in Wales | |
Preserved county | Dyfed |
Electorate | 72,683 (March 2020)[1] |
Major settlements | Carmarthen, Ammanford, Llandeilo |
Current constituency | |
Created | 2024 |
Member of Parliament | Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire |
1918–1997 | |
Seats | One |
Type of constituency | County constituency |
Created from | West Carmarthenshire, East Carmarthenshire and Carmarthen Boroughs |
Replaced by | Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire |
Caerfyrddin (Welsh: [kairˈvərðɪn]), also known as Carmarthen, is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament, first contested at the 2024 United Kingdom general election, following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.
It previously existed between 1918 and 1997 under the English version of the name, Carmarthen. Prior to this a "Carmarthen Boroughs" existed from 1832 to 1918, as well as two county constituencies, of East Carmarthenshire and West Carmarthenshire.
Between 1997 and 2024 the county was divided between Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.
History
[edit]Because the seat contained mining areas in the valley of the River Gwendraeth (until the 1980s), much countryside and a high proportion of Welsh speakers, it was fertile territory for the Labour Party, the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru alike. Although the Conservatives never won the seat, they came within 1200 votes of doing so in 1983.
Carmarthen is notable as the first constituency to elect a Plaid Cymru MP, Gwynfor Evans, at a 1966 by-election. Evans was later involved in one of the closest General Election results ever in February 1974, when he lost to the Labour candidate by only three votes.[2][3] The constituency also shot to fame in the following election in October 1974 as the only seat in the country to see its turnout rise on that of February 1974.
Boundaries
[edit]In 1918, the borough constituency was abolished (as well as East and West Carmarthenshire), but the name "Carmarthen" was transferred to one of the divisions of the county of Carmarthenshire. The new constituency was made up of the whole of the county of Carmarthenshire except for the new Llanelli constituency (the urban area around Llanelli). Notable towns were Carmarthen itself, Ammanford and Llandeilo.
In 1997, the Boundary Commission for Wales recommended an extra seat for Dyfed.[4] This led to the seat being split two to one between Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire.[5]
The constituency was re-established as Caerfyrddin as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final proposals of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[6]
Members of Parliament
[edit]1918–1997: county constituency
[edit]MPs since 2024
[edit]Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire prior to 2024.
Election | Member[citation needed] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Ann Davies | Plaid Cymru |
Elections
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Carmarthen_-_Carmarthen_East_and_Dinefwr_election_results.png)
Elections in the 20th century
[edit]Elections in the 1910s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Liberal | John Hinds | Unopposed | ||
Registered electors | |||||
Liberal hold | |||||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
Elections in the 1920s
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a9/1910_John_Hinds.jpg/120px-1910_John_Hinds.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | John Hinds | 12,530 | 41.9 | N/A | |
Unionist | George Coventry | 8,805 | 29.4 | N/A | |
National Farmers' Union | David Johns | 4,775 | 15.9 | N/A | |
Liberal | Hubert Llewelyn-Williams | 3,847 | 12.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,725 | 12.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 29,957 | 82.7 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 36,213 | ||||
National Liberal gain from Liberal |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Ellis Ellis-Griffith | 12,988 | 45.1 | +32.3 | |
Unionist | Alfred Stephens | 8,677 | 30.1 | +0.7 | |
Labour | Rowland Williams | 7,132 | 24.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 4,311 | 15.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 28,797 | 78.3 | −4.4 | ||
Registered electors | 36,779 | ||||
Liberal gain from National Liberal | Swing | N/A |
![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Alfred_Mond.jpg/120px-Alfred_Mond.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Alfred Mond | 12,760 | 44.0 | −1.1 | |
Labour | Edward Teilo Owen | 8,351 | 28.8 | +4.0 | |
Unionist | Alfred Stephens | 7,896 | 27.2 | −2.9 | |
Majority | 4,409 | 15.2 | +0.2 | ||
Turnout | 29,007 | 78.9 | +0.6 | ||
Registered electors | 36,779 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Alfred Mond | 17,281 | 68.5 | +23.4 | |
Labour | Edward Teilo Owen | 7,953 | 31.5 | +6.7 | |
Majority | 9,328 | 37.0 | +22.0 | ||
Turnout | 25,234 | 67.9 | −10.4 | ||
Registered electors | 37,155 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +8.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 10,201 | 35.5 | −33.0 | |
Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 10,154 | 35.4 | +3.9 | |
Unionist | Courtenay Mansel | 8,361 | 29.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 47 | 0.1 | −36.9 | ||
Turnout | 28,716 | 76.6 | +8.7 | ||
Registered electors | 37,482 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −18.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 15,130 | 38.2 | +6.7 | |
Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 14,477 | 36.6 | −31.9 | |
Unionist | John Coventry | 9,961 | 25.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 653 | 1.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 39,568 | 85.8 | +17.9 | ||
Registered electors | 46,110 | ||||
Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +19.3 |
Elections in the 1930s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Richard Evans | 15,532 | 39.5 | +2.9 | |
Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 14,318 | 36.5 | −1.7 | |
Conservative | Delme William Campbell Davies-Evans | 9,434 | 24.0 | −1.2 | |
Majority | 1,214 | 3.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 39,284 | 84.5 | −1.3 | ||
Registered electors | 46,507 | ||||
Liberal gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 18,146 | 47.5 | +11.0 | |
Liberal | Richard Evans | 12,911 | 33.8 | −5.7 | |
Conservative | Edward Kellett | 7,177 | 18.8 | −5.2 | |
Majority | 5,235 | 13.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,234 | 79.3 | −5.2 | ||
Registered electors | 48,217 | ||||
Labour gain from Liberal | Swing |
Elections in the 1940s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Moelwyn Hughes | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | |||||
Labour hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 19,783 | 51.7 | +17.9 | |
Labour | Moelwyn Hughes | 18,504 | 48.3 | +0.8 | |
Majority | 1,279 | 3.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,286 | 76.1 | −3.2 | ||
Registered electors | 50,462 | ||||
Liberal gain from Labour | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 24,472 | 50.2 | −1.5 | |
Labour | Lynn Ungoed-Thomas | 24,285 | 49.8 | +1.5 | |
Majority | 187 | 0.4 | −3.0 | ||
Turnout | 48,759 | 83.4 | +7.3 | ||
Registered electors | 58,444 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 25,632 | 50.5 | +0.3 | |
Labour | David Owen | 25,165 | 49.5 | −0.3 | |
Majority | 467 | 1.0 | +0.6 | ||
Turnout | 5,0795 | 86.5 | +3.1 | ||
Registered electors | 58,709 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 24,410 | 49.5 | −1.0 | |
Labour | Jack Evans | 21,077 | 42.7 | −6.8 | |
Plaid Cymru | Jennie Eirian Davies | 3,835 | 7.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,333 | 6.8 | +5.8 | ||
Turnout | 49,320 | 85.1 | −1.4 | ||
Registered electors | 57,956 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 23,679 | 47.3 | +4.6 | |
Liberal | John Morgan Davies | 20,610 | 41.2 | −8.3 | |
Plaid Cymru | Jennie Eirian Davies | 5,741 | 11.5 | +3.7 | |
Majority | 3,069 | 6.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 43,726 | 87.5 | +2.4 | ||
Registered electors | 57,183 | ||||
Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 23,399 | 47.9 | +5.2 | |
Liberal | Alun Talfan Davies | 16,766 | 34.3 | −15.2 | |
Conservative | JB Evans | 6,147 | 12.6 | N/A | |
Plaid Cymru | Hywel Heulyn Roberts | 2,545 | 5.2 | −2.6 | |
Majority | 6,633 | 13.6 | +6.8 | ||
Turnout | 48,855 | 85.4 | +0.3 | ||
Registered electors | 62,235 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 21,424 | 45.5 | −2.4 | |
Liberal | Alun Talfan Davies | 15,210 | 32.3 | −2.0 | |
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 5,495 | 11.7 | +6.5 | |
Conservative | H.E. Protheroe-Beynon | 4,996 | 10.6 | −2.0 | |
Majority | 6,214 | 13.3 | −0.3 | ||
Turnout | 47,122 | 84.4 | −1.0 | ||
Registered electors | 55,786 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 21,221 | 46.2 | +0.7 | |
Liberal | D Hywel Davies | 11,988 | 26.1 | −6.2 | |
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 7,416 | 16.1 | +4.4 | |
Conservative | Simon James Day | 5,338 | 11.6 | +1.0 | |
Majority | 9,233 | 20.1 | +6.9 | ||
Turnout | 45,960 | 82.6 | −1.8 | ||
Registered electors | 55,407 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 16,179 | 39.0 | +22.9 | |
Labour | Gwilym Prys-Davies | 13,743 | 33.1 | −13.1 | |
Liberal | D Hywel Davies | 8,650 | 20.8 | −5.3 | |
Conservative | Simon James Day | 2,934 | 7.2 | −4.6 | |
Majority | 2,436 | 5.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 41,506 | 74.9 | −7.7 | ||
Registered electors | 55,407 | ||||
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | +12.0 |
Elections in the 1970s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 18,719 | 38.0 | −8.2 | |
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 14,812 | 30.1 | +14.0 | |
Liberal | Huw Thomas | 10,707 | 21.7 | −4.4 | |
Conservative | Lloyd Harvard Davies | 4,975 | 10.1 | −1.5 | |
Majority | 3,907 | 7.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 49,214 | 83.5 | +1.0 | ||
Registered electors | 64,616 | ||||
Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 17,165 | 34.3 | −3.7 | |
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 17,162 | 34.3 | +4.2 | |
Liberal | David Roderick Owen-Jones | 9,698 | 19.4 | −2.3 | |
Conservative | Bill Newton Dunn | 6,037 | 12.1 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 3 | 0.01 | −7.9 | ||
Turnout | 50,062 | 83.5 | 0.0 | ||
Registered electors | 59,963 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 23,325 | 45.1 | +11.8 | |
Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 19,685 | 38.1 | +3.8 | |
Liberal | David Roderick Owen-Jones | 5,393 | 10.4 | −9.0 | |
Conservative | Robert Hayward | 2,962 | 5.7 | −6.4 | |
British Candidate | Edward .B Jones | 342 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Majority | 3,640 | 7.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 51,704 | 85.6 | +2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 60,402 | ||||
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Roger Thomas | 18,667 | 35.9 | −2.2 | |
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 16,689 | 32.0 | −13.1 | |
Conservative | Nigel M. Thomas | 12,272 | 23.6 | +17.9 | |
Liberal | Clem Thomas | 4,186 | 8.0 | −2.4 | |
National Front | Charlie Grice | 149 | 0.3 | N/A | |
New Britain | EJ Clarke | 126 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 1,978 | 3.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 52,086 | 84.4 | −1.2 | ||
Registered electors | 61,714 | ||||
Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing |
Elections in the 1980s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Roger Thomas | 16,459 | 31.6 | −4.3 | |
Conservative | Nigel M. Thomas | 15,305 | 29.4 | +5.8 | |
Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 14,099 | 27.1 | −4.9 | |
Alliance | Joan Colin | 5,737 | 11.0 | +3.0 | |
Ecology | Brian Kingzett | 374 | 0.7 | N/A | |
BNP | Charlie Grice | 154 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 1,154 | 2.2 | −1.7 | ||
Turnout | 52,126 | 82.1 | −1.3 | ||
Registered electors | 63,468 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Williams | 19,128 | 35.4 | +3.8 | |
Conservative | Rod Richards | 14,811 | 27.4 | −2.0 | |
Plaid Cymru | Hywel Teifi Edwards | 12,457 | 23.0 | −4.1 | |
SDP | Gwynoro Jones | 7,203 | 13.3 | +2.3 | |
Green | Graham Oubridge | 481 | 0.9 | +0.2 | |
Majority | 4,317 | 8.0 | +5.8 | ||
Turnout | 54,080 | 82.9 | +0.8 | ||
Registered electors | 65,252 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1990s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Williams | 20,879 | 36.6 | +1.2 | |
Plaid Cymru | Rhodri Glyn Thomas | 17,957 | 31.5 | +8.5 | |
Conservative | Stephen J. Cavenagh | 12,782 | 22.4 | −5.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Juliana M.J. Hughes | 5,353 | 9.4 | −3.9 | |
Majority | 2,922 | 5.1 | −2.9 | ||
Turnout | 56,971 | 82.7 | −0.2 | ||
Registered electors | 68,887 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | −3.6 |
Elections in the 21st century
[edit]Elections in the 2020s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plaid Cymru | Ann Davies | 15,520 | 34.0 | ||
Labour | Martha O'Neil | 10,985 | 24.1 | ||
Conservative | Simon Hart | 8,825 | 19.4 | ||
Reform UK | Bernard Holton | 6,944 | 15.2 | ||
Liberal Democrats | Nick Beckett | 1,461 | 3.2 | ||
Green | Will Beasley | 1,371 | 3.0 | ||
Women's Equality | Nancy Cole | 282 | 0.6 | ||
Workers Party | David Mark Evans | 216 | 0.5 | ||
Majority | 4,535 | 9.9 | |||
Turnout | 45,604 | 61.6 | |||
Registered electors | 74,003 | ||||
Plaid Cymru win (new seat) |
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ Mrs Justice Jefford; Thomas, Huw Vaughan; Hartley, Sam A (June 2023). "Appendix 1: Recommended Constituencies" (PDF). The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales. Cardiff: Boundary Commission for Wales. p. 250. ISBN 978-1-5286-3901-9. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Carmarthen East & Dinefwr". BBC News.
- ^ The BBC article quoted above says that it was the second closest General Election result since the Second World War. But the Winchester general election result of 1997 was closer.
- ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.12 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
- ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.202 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
- ^ 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies – The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales (PDF). Boundary Commission for Wales. 28 June 2023.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 2)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Craig, F. W. S. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (1 ed.). Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-019. Page 551
- ^ Etholiadau'r ganrif 18885-1997, Beti Jones
- ^ "UK General Election results: July 1945 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 2 May 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: February 1950 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Craig, F. W. S. (1971). British parliamentary election results 1950–1970 (1 ed.). Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 9780900178023. Page 570
- ^ "UK General Election results: October 1951 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: May 1955 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: October 1959 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: October 1964 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: March 1966 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results 1970 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: February 1974 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: October 1974 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: May 1979 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "UK General Election results: June 1983 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ^ "UK General Election results: June 1987 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Caerfyrddin – General election 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
External links
[edit]- Caerfyrddin UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK