Neath | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
Preserved county | West Glamorgan |
Electorate | 57,823 (December 2010)[1] |
Major settlements | Neath, Pontardawe |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1918 |
Member of Parliament | Christina Rees (Labour Co-operative) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Mid Glamorganshire and Gower |
Overlaps | |
Senedd | Neath, South Wales West |
Neath (Welsh: Castell-nedd) is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Christina Rees, a Labour and Co-operative MP.[n 2]
The constituency is set to be abolished, as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the next United Kingdom general election. Its wards is to be split between Aberafan Maesteg, Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, and Neath and Swansea East.[2]
The constituency is located in the preserved county of West Glamorgan, Wales. It consists of the electoral wards of: Aberdulais, Allt-wen, Blaengwrach, Bryn-côch North, Bryn-côch South, Cadoxton, Cimla, Crynant, Cwmllynfell, Dyffryn, Glynneath, Godre'r Graig, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Lower Brynamman, Neath East, Neath North, Neath South, Onllwyn, Pelenna, Pontardawe, Resolven, Rhos, Seven Sisters, Tonna, Trebanos and Ystalyfera.
The Neath constituency is a mixture of both industrial and rural communities, running in a north–south strip along the dips, ridges and folded landscape of South Wales. It includes most of the Neath and Dulais valleys, and some of the Upper Swansea Valley as well. The town of Neath is at its southern end and is a medium-sized town which started life as a Roman Nidum.
The constituency boasts historical places of both industrial and natural forms. Neath and the surrounding areas were industrialised very early in Britain's history. Copper smelting was already happening here in the late sixteenth century.[citation needed]
When Neath Abbey (now a magnificent ruin) was founded in 1129, it was the richest of all Welsh monasteries, and in writings of the sixteenth century was described as the 'fairest Abbey of all Wales'. At its height it owned extensive lands and property, from Glamorgan to Somerset; had almost 5,000 sheep, as well as horses and cattle; it owned a ship and a landing-place, and worked mills, fisheries and coal-mines. But it suffered greatly during the many skirmishes between the Welsh and English (or Normans), and by the 1530s had only eight monks left. The ruins date mostly from the late thirteenth century. It has been in turn, a prosperous Abbey, a Jacobean Mansion (painted by Turner), an iron foundry (which explains the Abbey's position in the middle of an industrial area) and now an historical monument.
The constituency was heavily mined and the small communities that grew up around these mines were devastated by the collapse of the mining industry in the 1980s. On the edges of many of these communities there are now "Industrial Villages" springing up, helping to replace the jobs lost by the demise of the mining industry, and so helping to keep young people in these communities.[3][unreliable source?]
A legacy to Neath's political history is the memorial stone in Victoria Gardens to the 5 Neath citizens killed during the Spanish Civil War of 1936–38.[citation needed]
The constituency remains a Welsh-speaking area, with approximately 26% of the population reported as Welsh speakers.[citation needed]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Liberal | Hugh Edwards | 17,818 | 64.8 | N/A |
Labour | Herbert Morgan | 9,670 | 35.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,148 | 29.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 27,488 | 70.6 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 38,929 | ||||
Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Jenkins | 19,566 | 59.5 | +24.3 | |
National Liberal | Hugh Edwards | 13,331 | 40.5 | -24.3 | |
Majority | 6,235 | 19.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 32,897 | 75.4 | +4.8 | ||
Registered electors | 32,897 | ||||
Labour gain from National Liberal | Swing | +24.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Jenkins | 20,764 | 62.3 | +2.8 | |
Liberal | Thomas Elias | 12,562 | 37.7 | -2.8 | |
Majority | 8,202 | 24.6 | +5.6 | ||
Turnout | 33,326 | 73.9 | -1.5 | ||
Registered electors | 33,326 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +2.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Jenkins | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 46,996 | ||||
Labour hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Jenkins | 29,455 | 60.2 | N/A | |
Liberal | Jack Jones | 14,554 | 29.8 | N/A | |
Unionist | David J. Evans | 4,892 | 10.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 14,901 | 30.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 48,901 | 82.1 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 48,901 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Jenkins | 30,873 | 64.0 | +3.8 | |
Liberal | David G Davies | 17,389 | 36.0 | +6.2 | |
Majority | 13,484 | 28.0 | -2.4 | ||
Turnout | 48,262 | 78.4 | -3.7 | ||
Registered electors | 61,550 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Jenkins | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 64,975 | ||||
Labour hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David James Williams | 30,847 | 79.3 | N/A | |
Plaid Cymru | Wynne Samuel | 6,290 | 16.2 | N/A | |
Revolutionary Communist | Jock Haston | 1,781 | 4.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 24,557 | 63.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,918 | 58.0 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 67,083 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David James Williams | 37,957 | 75.8 | N/A | |
National Liberal | David Bowen | 8,466 | 16.9 | N/A | |
Plaid Cymru | Wynne Samuel | 3,659 | 7.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 29,491 | 58.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 50,082 | 75.7 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 67,083 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David James Williams | 33,034 | 73.0 | -2.8 | |
Conservative | Jack C. Hope | 6,225 | 13.7 | -3.2 | |
Liberal | O Vaughan Jones | 4,425 | 9.8 | N/A | |
Communist | A Thomas | 1,584 | 3.5 | N/A | |
Majority | 26,809 | 59.3 | +0.4 | ||
Turnout | 45,268 | 87.5 | +11.8 | ||
Registered electors | 51,720 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David James Williams | 34,496 | 76.9 | +3.9 | |
Conservative | Geoffrey Jennings | 10,367 | 23.1 | +9.4 | |
Majority | 24,129 | 53.8 | -5.5 | ||
Turnout | 44,863 | 85.9 | -1.6 | ||
Registered electors | 52,203 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David James Williams | 30,581 | 76.4 | -0.5 | |
Conservative | Jack C. Hope | 9,467 | 23.6 | +0.5 | |
Majority | 21,114 | 52.8 | -1.0 | ||
Turnout | 40,048 | 77.9 | -8.0 | ||
Registered electors | 51,422 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David James Williams | 30,469 | 71.4 | -5.0 | |
Conservative | Daniel Norton Idris Pearce | 10,263 | 24.0 | +0.4 | |
Communist | James J. David | 1,962 | 4.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 20,206 | 47.4 | -5.4 | ||
Turnout | 42,694 | 82.6 | +4.7 | ||
Registered electors | 51,711 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 29,692 | 73.4 | +2.0 | |
Conservative | Mervyn Nelson Scorgie | 8,342 | 20.6 | -3.4 | |
Communist | James J. David | 2,432 | 6.0 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 21,350 | 52.8 | +5.4 | ||
Turnout | 41,466 | 80.4 | -2.2 | ||
Registered electors | 50,318 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 31,183 | 79.9 | +6.5 | |
Conservative | Paul H. Valerio | 6,312 | 16.1 | -4.5 | |
Communist | James J. David | 1,632 | 4.2 | -1.8 | |
Majority | 24,871 | 63.8 | +11.0 | ||
Turnout | 39,127 | 78.7 | -1.7 | ||
Registered electors | 49,694 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 28,378 | 71.4 | -8.5 | |
Conservative | David Henry J. Martin-Jones | 6,765 | 17.0 | +0.9 | |
Plaid Cymru | Glyn John | 4,012 | 10.1 | N/A | |
Communist | Bert Pearce | 579 | 1.5 | -2.7 | |
Majority | 21,613 | 54.4 | -9.2 | ||
Turnout | 38,734 | 75.3 | -3.4 | ||
Registered electors | 52,744 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 25,351 | 62.2 | -9.2 | |
Plaid Cymru | H G Evans | 8,758 | 21.5 | +11.4 | |
Conservative | L J Walters | 6,616 | 16.2 | -0.8 | |
Majority | 16,593 | 40.7 | -13.7 | ||
Turnout | 40,725 | 78.5 | +3.2 | ||
Registered electors | 51,887 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 25,028 | 61.4 | -0.8 | |
Plaid Cymru | H G Evans | 7,305 | 17.9 | -3.6 | |
Conservative | M Harris | 4,641 | 11.4 | -4.8 | |
Liberal | D Owen | 3,759 | 9.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 17,723 | 43.5 | +2.8 | ||
Turnout | 40,733 | 77.9 | -0.6 | ||
Registered electors | 52,257 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 27,071 | 64.5 | +3.1 | |
Conservative | C Sandy | 8,455 | 20.1 | +8.7 | |
Plaid Cymru | Aled Gwyn | 6,430 | 15.3 | -2.6 | |
Majority | 18,616 | 44.4 | +0.9 | ||
Turnout | 41,956 | 81.2 | +3.3 | ||
Registered electors | 51,659 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 22,670 | 53.6 | -10.9 | |
SDP | Keith Davies | 9,066 | 21.4 | N/A | |
Conservative | Richard Buckley | 7,350 | 17.4 | -2.7 | |
Plaid Cymru | Ieuan Owen | 3,046 | 7.2 | -8.1 | |
Computer Democrat | J Donavon | 150 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 13,604 | 32.2 | -12.2 | ||
Turnout | 42,282 | 76.5 | -4.7 | ||
Registered electors | 55,272 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Donald Coleman | 27,612 | 63.4 | +9.8 | |
Conservative | Martin Howe | 7,034 | 16.1 | -1.3 | |
SDP | John Warman | 6,132 | 14.1 | -7.3 | |
Plaid Cymru | Huw John | 2,792 | 6.4 | -0.8 | |
Majority | 20,578 | 47.3 | +15.1 | ||
Turnout | 43,570 | 78.8 | +2.3 | ||
Registered electors | 55,261 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Hain | 17,962 | 51.7 | −11.7 | |
Plaid Cymru | Dewi Evans | 8,132 | 23.3 | +16.9 | |
Conservative | Richard Evans | 2,995 | 8.6 | −7.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Lloyd | 2,000 | 5.8 | -8.3 | |
SDP | John Warman | 1,826 | 5.3 | N/A | |
Local Independent Labour | Rhys Jeffreys | 1,253 | 3.6 | N/A | |
Monster Raving Loony | David Sutch | 263 | 0.8 | N/A | |
Captain Beany of the Bean Party | Barry Kirk | 262 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Majority | 9,830 | 28.4 | −18.9 | ||
Turnout | 34,753 | 64.0 | −14.8 | ||
Registered electors | 54,482 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +2.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Hain | 30,903 | 68.0 | +4.6 | |
Conservative | David R. Adams | 6,928 | 15.2 | −0.9 | |
Plaid Cymru | Dewi R. Evans | 5,145 | 11.3 | +4.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Phillips | 2,467 | 5.4 | -8.7 | |
Majority | 23,975 | 52.8 | +5.5 | ||
Turnout | 45,443 | 80.6 | +1.8 | ||
Registered electors | 56,392 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +2.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Hain | 30,324 | 73.5 | +5.5 | |
Conservative | David M. Evans | 3,583 | 8.7 | −6.5 | |
Plaid Cymru | Trefor Jones | 3,344 | 8.1 | −3.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Frank H. Little | 2,597 | 6.3 | +0.9 | |
Referendum | Peter A. Morris | 975 | 2.4 | N/A | |
Legalise Cannabis Party | Howard Marks | 420 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 26,741 | 64.8 | +12.0 | ||
Turnout | 41,243 | 74.3 | -6.3 | ||
Registered electors | 55,541 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +6.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Hain | 21,253 | 60.7 | −12.8 | |
Plaid Cymru | Alun Llewelyn | 6,437 | 18.4 | +10.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dai Davies | 3,335 | 9.5 | +3.2 | |
Conservative | David Devine | 3,310 | 9.5 | +0.8 | |
Socialist Alliance | Huw Pudner | 483 | 1.4 | N/A | |
ProLife Alliance | Gerry Brienza | 202 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 14,816 | 42.3 | -22.5 | ||
Turnout | 35,020 | 62.5 | −11.8 | ||
Registered electors | 56,001 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -11.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Hain | 18,835 | 52.6 | −8.1 | |
Plaid Cymru | Geraint Owen | 6,125 | 17.1 | −1.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Sheila Waye | 5,112 | 14.3 | +4.8 | |
Conservative | Harri Davies | 4,136 | 11.5 | +2.0 | |
Green | Susan Jay | 658 | 1.8 | N/A | |
Independent | Gerry Brienza | 360 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Legalise Cannabis | Pat Tabram | 334 | 0.9 | N/A | |
Respect | Heather Falconer | 257 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Majority | 12,710 | 35.5 | -6.8 | ||
Turnout | 35,817 | 62.2 | −0.3 | ||
Registered electors | 57,278 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | −3.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Hain | 17,172 | 46.3 | −6.3 | |
Plaid Cymru | Alun Llywelyn | 7,397 | 19.9 | +2.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Frank Little | 5,535 | 14.9 | +0.6 | |
Conservative | Emmeline Owens | 4,847 | 13.1 | +1.6 | |
BNP | Michael Green | 1,342 | 3.6 | N/A | |
UKIP | James Bevan | 829 | 2.2 | N/A | |
Rejected ballots | 67 | ||||
Majority | 9,775 | 26.4 | -9.1 | ||
Turnout | 37,122 | 64.9 | +2.7 | ||
Registered electors | 57,295 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | −4.6 |
Of the 67 rejected ballots:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | Christina Rees | 16,270 | 43.8 | −2.5 | |
Plaid Cymru | Daniel Thomas | 6,722 | 18.1 | −1.8 | |
UKIP | Richard Pritchard | 6,094 | 16.4 | +14.2 | |
Conservative | Ed Hastie | 5,691 | 15.3 | +2.2 | |
Green | Catrin Brock | 1,185 | 3.2 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Clare Bentley | 1,173 | 3.2 | −11.7 | |
Rejected ballots | 114 | ||||
Majority | 9,548 | 25.7 | −0.7 | ||
Turnout | 37,135 | 66.2 | +1.3 | ||
Registered electors | 56,097 | ||||
Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −0.3 |
Of the 114 rejected ballots:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | Christina Rees | 21,713 | 56.7 | +12.9 | |
Conservative | Orla Lowe | 9,082 | 23.7 | +8.4 | |
Plaid Cymru | Daniel Williams | 5,339 | 13.9 | −4.2 | |
UKIP | Richard Pritchard | 1,419 | 3.7 | −12.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Frank Little | 732 | 1.9 | −1.3 | |
Rejected ballots | 83 | ||||
Majority | 12,631 | 33.0 | +7.3 | ||
Turnout | 38,285 | 68.5 | +1.3 | ||
Registered electors | 55,862 | ||||
Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +2.2 |
Of the 83 rejected ballots:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | Christina Rees | 15,920 | 43.3 | –13.4 | |
Conservative | Jon Burns | 10,283 | 28.0 | +4.3 | |
Plaid Cymru | Daniel Williams | 4,495 | 12.2 | –1.7 | |
Brexit Party | Simon Briscoe | 3,184 | 8.7 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Andrew Kingston-Jones | 1,485 | 4.0 | +2.1 | |
Green | Megan Lloyd | 728 | 2.0 | N/A | |
Independent | Philip Rogers | 594 | 1.6 | N/A | |
SDP | Carl Williams | 67 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Rejected ballots | 107 | ||||
Majority | 5,637 | 15.3 | –17.7 | ||
Turnout | 36,756 | 65.2 | –3.3 | ||
Registered electors | 56,416 | ||||
Labour Co-op hold | Swing | –8.8 |
Of the 107 rejected ballots: