Torfaen (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Torfaen
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Torfaen (UK Parliament constituency)
Interactive map of the constituency.
Torfaen2024Constituency.svg
Location of the constituency within Wales
Preserved county Gwent
Electorate 70,591 (March 2020) [1]
Major settlements Cwmbran, Pontypool, Blaenavon
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of Parliament Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Pontypool
Overlaps
Senedd Torfaen, South Wales East

Torfaen is a constituency [n 1] in Wales represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Nick Thomas-Symonds, a member of the Labour Party who also serves as the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office under the government of Keir Starmer. [n 2] It was established for the 1983 general election.

Contents

The constituency retained its name and gained wards, as part of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the 2024 general election. [2]

Boundaries

1983–2024: The Borough of Torfaen, excluding the communities of Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon which were part of the Monmouth constituency.

2024–present: Under the 2023 review, the constituency was defined as being composed of the whole of the County Borough of Torfaen, with Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon being transferred from the now abolished constituency of Monmouth, which was replaced by Monmouthshire. [3]

The constituency covers the new town of Cwmbran, Pontypool, and its surrounding districts and stretches as far north as Blaenavon.

History

The area is traditionally a Labour Party stronghold with a majority of around 9,000. The community of New Inn is the only strong Conservative area. It voted Labour even amidst the huge Conservative majorities of 1983 and 1987. However, 2019 saw the lowest Labour majority in Torfaen in the seat's history, of only 3,742 votes, in part due to 60.8% of voters choosing the Leave vote in the 2016 EU membership referendum. [4] In the 2024 United Kingdom general election Labour increased their majority to 7,322 votes.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [5] Party
1983 Leo Abse Labour
1987 Paul Murphy Labour
2015 Nick Thomas-Symonds Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Torfaen [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Nick Thomas-Symonds 15,176 42.5 −0.2
Reform UK Ian Williams7,85422.0+8.8
Conservative Nathan Edmunds5,73716.1−17.2
Plaid Cymru Matthew Jones2,5717.2+3.6
Green Philip Davies1,7054.8+2.6
Liberal Democrats Brendan Roberts1,6444.6−0.4
Independent Lee Dunning8812.5N/A
Heritage Nikki Brooke1370.4N/A
Majority 7,32220.5+10.5
Turnout 35,70549.9−10.3
Registered electors 71,738
Labour hold Swing −4.5

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result [n 3] [7]
PartyVote %
Labour 18,61642.7
Conservative 14,50633.3
Brexit Party 5,74213.2
Liberal Democrats 2,1575.0
Plaid Cymru 1,5663.6
Green Party 9662.2
Majority4,1109.4
Turnout43,55361.7
Electorate70,591
General election 2019: Torfaen [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Nick Thomas-Symonds 15,546 41.8 −15.8
Conservative Graham Smith11,80431.8+0.8
Brexit Party David Thomas5,74215.4N/A
Liberal Democrats John Miller1,8314.9+2.7
Plaid Cymru Morgan Bowler-Brown1,4413.9−1.5
Green Andrew Heygate-Browne8122.2N/A
Rejected ballots126
Majority 3,74210.0−16.6
Turnout 37,17660.2−2.0
Registered electors 61,743
Labour hold Swing −8.3

Of the 126 rejected ballots:

General election 2017: Torfaen [11] [12] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Nick Thomas-Symonds 22,134 57.6 +13.0
Conservative Graham Smith11,89431.0+7.9
Plaid Cymru Jeff Rees2,0595.4−0.3
UKIP Ian Williams1,4903.9−15.1
Liberal Democrats Andrew Best8522.2−1.2
Rejected ballots62
Majority 10,24026.6+5.1
Turnout 38,49462.2+0.9
Registered electors 61,839
Labour hold Swing +2.5

Of the 62 rejected ballots:

General election 2015: Torfaen [14] [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Nick Thomas-Symonds 16,938 44.6 −0.2
Conservative Graham Smith8,76923.1+3.1
UKIP Ken Beswick7,20319.0+16.7
Plaid Cymru Boydd Hackley-Green2,1695.7+0.4
Liberal Democrats Alison Willott1,2713.4−13.2
Green Matt Cooke [17] 7462.0+0.8
Socialist Labour John Cox6971.8N/A
Communist Mark Griffiths1440.4N/A
Rejected ballots68
Majority 8,16921.5−3.3
Turnout 37,93761.3−0.2
Registered electors 61,896
Labour hold Swing −1.6

Of the 68 rejected ballots:

General election 2010: Torfaen [18] [19] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Murphy 16,847 44.8 −12.1
Conservative Jonathan H. Burns7,54120.0+4.2
Liberal Democrats David P. Morgan6,26416.6+0.8
Plaid Cymru Rhys G. ab Elis2,0055.3−0.9
BNP Jennifer Noble1,6574.4N/A
Independent Fred Wildgust1,4193.8N/A
UKIP Gareth Dunn8622.3−0.9
Independent Richard Turner-Thomas6071.6−0.5
Green Owen Clarke4381.2N/A
Rejected ballots46
Majority 9,30624.8−16.3
Turnout 37,64061.5+2.2
Registered electors 61,183
Labour hold Swing −8.2

Of the 46 rejected ballots:

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Torfaen [21] [22] [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Murphy 20,472 56.9 −5.2
Conservative Nick Ramsay 5,68115.8−0.1
Liberal Democrats Veronica Watkins 5,67815.8+4.6
Plaid Cymru Aneurin Preece2,2426.2−1.5
UKIP David Rowlands 1,1453.2+1.3
Independent Richard Turner-Thomas7612.1N/A
Majority 14,79141.1−5.1
Turnout 35,97959.3+1.6
Registered electors 60,665
Labour hold Swing −2.5
General election 2001: Torfaen [24] [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Murphy 21,883 62.1 −7.0
Conservative Jason Evans5,60315.9+3.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Masters3,93611.2−0.9
Plaid Cymru Stephen Smith2,7207.7+5.3
UKIP Brenda Vipass6571.9N/A
Socialist Alliance Stephen Bell4431.3N/A
Majority 16,28046.2−10.4
Turnout 35,24257.7−14.0
Registered electors 61,115
Labour hold Swing −5.3

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Torfaen [26] [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Murphy 29,863 69.1 +5.0
Conservative Neil Parish 5,32712.3−8.0
Liberal Democrats Jean Gray5,24912.1−1.0
Referendum Deborah Holler1,2452.9N/A
Plaid Cymru Robert Gough1,0422.4−0.2
Green Roger Coghill5191.2N/A
Majority 24,53656.8+13.0
Turnout 43,24571.7−5.8
Registered electors 60,343
Labour hold Swing +6.5
General election 1992: Torfaen [28] [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Murphy 30,352 64.1 +5.4
Conservative Mark Watkins9,59820.3+1.2
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Hewson6,17813.1−6.8
Plaid Cymru (Green)John Cox1,2102.6+1.4
Majority 20,75443.8+5.0
Turnout 47,33877.5+1.9
Registered electors 61,104
Labour hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Torfaen [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Murphy 26,577 58.7 +11.4
Liberal Graham Blackburn9,02719.9−8.4
Conservative Robert Gordon8,63219.1−3.2
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans 5771.2−0.9
Green Melvin John Witherden4501.0N/A
Majority 17,55038.8+19.8
Turnout 45,26375.6+1.2
Registered electors 59,896
Labour hold Swing +9.9
General election 1983: Torfaen [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Leo Abse 20,678 47.3 N/A
Liberal Graham Blackburn12,39328.3N/A
Conservative Peter Martin9,75122.3N/A
Plaid Cymru Phyllis Cox8962.1N/A
Majority 8,28519.0N/A
Turnout 43,71874.4N/A
Registered electors 58,739
Labour win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
  3. Estimate of the 2019 general election result as if the revised boundaries recommended under the 2023 boundary review were in place

References

  1. 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. 251. ISBN   978-1-5286-3901-9 . Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  2. 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies - The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales (PDF). Boundary Commission for Wales. 28 June 2023.
  3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 4 (Wales).
  4. "Revised estimates of leave vote in Westminster constituencies". Google Docs. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)
  6. "UK Parliamentary Election: Torfaen Constituency - Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. 7 June 2024.
  7. "Torfaen notional election - December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament . Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  8. "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. 14 November 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  9. "Torfaen Parliamentary constituency". Election 2019 Results. BBC. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 "Election-Results/General-Election-2019" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  11. "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. 18 June 2017.
  12. "Torfaen Parliamentary constituency". Election 2017 Results. BBC . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 "2017 Results" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  14. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 "May 2015 Election Result" (PDF). Declaration of the result of the poll. Torfaen County Borough Council. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  16. "Torfaen Parliamentary constituency". Election 2015 Results. BBC. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  17. "Greens announce candidate for Torfaen". South Wales Argus. 28 October 2014.
  18. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. BBC News Election Coverage - Torfaen
  20. 1 2 3 4 "Results" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  21. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. "Torfaen parliamentary constituency - Election 2005" via www.bbc.co.uk.
  23. "2005 Results" (PDF). Torfaen County Borough Council. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  24. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. "BBC NEWS >Torfaen". Vote 2001. BBC News. 7 June 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  26. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. "BBC NEWS>VOTE 2001>Results and Constituencies>Torfaen". Vote 2001. BBC News. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  28. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  30. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

51°41′46″N3°03′47″W / 51.696°N 3.063°W / 51.696; -3.063