Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro) was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire in Wales
Preserved countyDyfed
Population77,338 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate58,994 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlementsCarmarthen (part), Pembroke Dock, Tenby
19972024
SeatsOne
Created fromPembroke, Carmarthen
Replaced byCaerfyrddin (Carmarthen), Mid and South Pembrokeshire
SeneddCarmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Mid and West Wales

The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd constituency was created with the same boundaries in 1999 (as an Assembly constituency).

The constituency was abolished as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Wales. Its wards were split between Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) and Mid and South Pembrokeshire.[3]

Boundaries

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Map of boundaries 1997-2024

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the former marginal seats of Pembroke and Carmarthen. Main population areas in the seat include the towns of Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke and Tenby. Saundersfoot and Dylan Thomas' homestead of Laugharne are also within the constituency.

The constituency included the whole of 22 Carmarthenshire communities (Abernant; Bronwydd; Carmarthen; Cilymaenllwyd; Cynwyl Elfed; Eglwyscummin; Henllanfallteg; Laugharne Township; Llanboidy; Llanddowror; Llangain; Llangynin; Llangynog; Llanpumsaint; Llansteffan; Llanwinio; Meidrim; Newchurch and Merthyr; Pendine; St Clears; Trelech; Whitland), the whole of 24 Pembrokeshire communities (Amroth; Angle; Carew; Cosheston; East Williamston; Hundleton; Jeffreyston; Kilgetty/Begelly; Lampeter Velfrey; Lamphey; Llanddewi Velfrey; Llawhaden; Manorbier; Martletwy; Narberth; Pembroke; Pembroke Dock; Penally; St Florence; St Mary Out Liberty; Saundersfoot; Stackpole and Castlemartin; Templeton; and Tenby), also the eastern part of the Pembrokeshire community of Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech.

Profile

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Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire is a marginal seat between the Labour Party and the Conservatives. The Conservatives are very strong around the more rural parts of the seat along with Pembroke, whereas Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock are more inclined to the Labour Party. Plaid Cymru is traditionally stronger in West Carmarthenshire as well as the Tenby area where several local councillors represent the party.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[4][5] Party
1997 Nick Ainger Labour
2010 Simon Hart Conservative
2024 Constituency abolished

Elections

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Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nicholas Ainger 20,956 49.1 N/A
Conservative Owen Williams 11,335 26.6 N/A
Plaid Cymru Roy Llewellyn 5,402 12.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Keith Evans 3,516 8.2 N/A
Referendum Joy Poirrier 1,432 3.4 N/A
Majority 9,621 22.5 N/A
Turnout 42,641 76.5 N/A
Registered electors 55,724
Labour win (new seat)

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2001: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nicholas Ainger 15,349 41.6 −7.5
Conservative Robert Wilson 10,811 29.3 +2.7
Plaid Cymru Llyr Gruffydd 6,893 18.7 +6.0
Liberal Democrats William Jeremy 3,248 8.8 +0.6
UKIP Ian Phillips 537 1.5 N/A
Direct Customer Service Party Nicholas Turner 78 0.2 N/A
Majority 4,538 12.3 −10.2
Turnout 36,916 65.3 −11.2
Registered electors 56,518
Labour hold Swing -5.1
General election 2005: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nicholas Ainger 13,953 36.9 −4.7
Conservative David Morris 12,043 31.8 +2.5
Plaid Cymru John Dixon 5,582 14.7 −4.0
Liberal Democrats John Allen 5,399 14.3 +5.5
UKIP Josie MacDonald 545 1.4 −0.1
Legalise Cannabis Alexander Daszak 237 0.6 N/A
Independent Nick Turner 104 0.3 N/A
Majority 1,910 5.1 −7.2
Turnout 37,863 67.3 +2.0
Registered electors 56,245
Labour hold Swing −3.6

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2010: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Hart 16,649 41.1 +9.8
Labour Nicholas Ainger 13,226 32.7 −4.2
Liberal Democrats John Gossage 4,890 12.1 −2.1
Plaid Cymru John Dixon 4,232 10.4 −4.3
UKIP Raymond Clarke 1,146 2.8 +1.4
Independent Henry Langen 364 0.9 N/A
Majority 3,423 8.4 N/A
Turnout 40,507 70.4 +3.1
Registered electors 58,108
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.9
General election 2015: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[14][15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Hart 17,626 43.7 +2.6
Labour Delyth Evans 11,572 28.7 −4.0
UKIP John Atkinson[17] 4,698 11.6 +8.8
Plaid Cymru Elwyn Williams 4,201 10.4 ±0.0
Green Gary Tapley[18][19] 1,290 3.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Selwyn Runnett 963 2.4 −9.7
Majority 6,054 15.0 +6.6
Turnout 40,350 69.8 −0.6
Registered electors 57,755
Conservative hold Swing +3.3
General election 2017: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Hart 19,771 46.8 +3.1
Labour Marc Tierney 16,661 39.5 +10.8
Plaid Cymru Abi Thomas 3,933 9.3 −1.1
Liberal Democrats Alistair Cameron[22] 956 2.3 −0.1
UKIP Phil Edwards 905 2.1 −9.5
Rejected ballots 65
Majority 3,110 7.3 −7.7
Turnout 42,226 72.1 +2.3
Registered electors 58,563
Conservative hold Swing -3.8

Of the 65 rejected ballots:

  • 44 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.[21]
  • 14 voted for more than one candidate.[21]
  • 7 had writing or a mark by which the voter could be identified.[21]
General election 2019: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Hart 22,183 52.7 +5.9
Labour Marc Tierney 14,438 34.3 −5.2
Plaid Cymru Rhys Thomas 3,633 8.6 −0.7
Liberal Democrats Alistair Cameron 1,860 4.4 +2.1
Rejected ballots 146
Majority 7,745 18.4 +11.1
Turnout 42,114 71.8 −0.3
Registered electors 58,629
Conservative hold Swing +5.5

Of the 146 rejected ballots:

  • 110 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.[24]
  • 35 voted for more than one candidate.[24]
  • 1 had writing or a mark by which the voter could be identified.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Beyond 20/20 WDS - Table view". 2011 Electorate Figures. StatsWales. 1 December 2010. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. ^ 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies - The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales (PDF). Boundary Commission for Wales. 28 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire South 1997-". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
  6. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. ^ "BBC NEWS>VOTE 2001>Results and Constituencies>Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire". Vote 2001. BBC News. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. ^ "BBC NEWS > Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire". Vote 2001. BBC News. 7 June 2001. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire parliamentary constituency - Election 2005" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire BBC Election 2010 - Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire South
  14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Pembrokeshire results". Election Results. Pembrokeshire County Council. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  16. ^ "Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire parliamentary constituency - Election 2015" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  17. ^ "UKIP Candidates". UKIP. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  18. ^ Sinclair, Thomas (27 November 2014). "Pembrokeshire Green Party announce candidates". Pembrokeshire Herald.
  19. ^ "Greens announce Pembs Parliamentary candidates". Western Telegraph. 27 October 2014.
  20. ^ "Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  21. ^ a b c d "Parliamentary General Election 2017" (PDF). Carmarthen County Council. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  22. ^ O'Sullivan, Caitlin (17 May 2017). "General Election 2017: Who are the candidates standing in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire?". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  23. ^ "Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  24. ^ a b c d "Parliamentary General Election 2019" (PDF). Carmarthen County Council. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
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