List of UK Parliament constituencies in Wales

Last updated

Map of the 40 constituencies of Wales, last used in the 2019 UK general election. 2010 Welsh Westminister constituencies map.svg
Map of the 40 constituencies of Wales, last used in the 2019 UK general election.

Wales is currently divided into forty constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which elect Members of Parliament to the House of Commons. After the general election of December 2019, 22 of the Welsh constituencies are represented by Labour MPs, 14 by Conservative MPs, and 4 by Plaid Cymru MPs. [1]

On 28 June 2023, the boundary commission for Wales published its final recommendations for the new constituencies of Wales, reducing the number from 40 to 32, [2] with the commission first drawing up proposals in 2021. [3] As of June 2023, the same constituencies are used for elections to the Senedd, with the same boundaries used to make up the Senedd constituencies; however, proposed changes to Westminster constituencies are not automatically applied to Senedd ones, and there are proposals to increase the number of Senedd constituencies.

Constituencies

   ‡Labour    †Conservative    ₪Plaid Cymru    ¤Liberal Democrat    *Brexit Party/Reform UK    ¢Independent

ConstituencyElectorate [4] Majority [5] Member of Parliament [5] Nearest opposition [5] Map
Aberavon 50,750 10,490 Stephen KinnockCharlotte Lang†
Aberavon2007Constituency.svg
Aberconwy 44,699 2,034 Robin MillarEmily Owen ‡
Aberconwy2007Constituency.svg
Alyn and Deeside 62,789 213 Mark TamiSanjoy Sen†
AlynDeeside2007Constituency.svg
Arfon 42,215 2,781 Hywel WilliamsSteffie Williams Roberts‡
Arfon2007Constituency.svg
Blaenau Gwent 50,739 8,647 Nick SmithRichard Taylor*
BlaenauGwent2007Constituency.svg
Brecon and Radnorshire 55,490 7,131 Fay Jones Jane Dodds¤
BreconRadnorshire2007Constituency.svg
Bridgend 63,303 1,157 Jamie Wallis Madeleine Moon
Bridgend2007Constituency.svg
Caerphilly 63,166 6,833 Wayne DavidJane Pratt†
Caerphilly2007Constituency.svg
Cardiff Central 64,037 17,179 Jo StevensMeirion Jenkins†
CardiffCentral2007Constituency.svg
Cardiff North 68,438 6,982 Anna McMorrinMo Ali†
CardiffNorth2007Constituency.svg
Cardiff South and Penarth 78,837 12,737 Stephen DoughtyPhilippa Broom†
CardiffSouthPenarth2007Constituency.svg
Cardiff West 68,508 10,986 Kevin BrennanCarolyn Webster†
CardiffWest2007Constituency.svg
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 57,4191,809 Jonathan Edwards¢David Darkin‡
CarmarthenEastDinefwr2007Constituency.svg
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire 59,1587,745 Simon HartMarc Tierney‡
CarmarthenWestSouthPembrokeshire2007Constituency.svg
Ceredigion 56,2506,329 Ben LakeAmanda Jenner†
Ceredigion2007Constituency.svg
Clwyd South 53,9191,239 Simon Baynes Susan Elan Jones
ClwydSouth2007Constituency.svg
Clwyd West 57,7146,747 David JonesJo Thomas‡
ClwydWest2007Constituency.svg
Cynon Valley 51,1348,822 Beth WinterPauline Church†
CynonValley2007Constituency.svg
Delyn 54,560865 Rob Roberts¢ David Hanson
Delyn2007Constituency.svg
Dwyfor Meirionnydd 44,3624,740 Liz Saville-RobertsTomos Davies†
DwyforMeirionnydd2007Constituency.svg
Gower 61,7621,837 Tonia AntoniazziFrancesca O'Brien†
Gower2007Constituency.svg
Islwyn 55,4235,464 Christopher James EvansGavin Chambers†
Islwyn2007Constituency.svg
Llanelli 60,5184,670 Nia GriffithTamara Reay†
Llanelli2007Constituency.svg
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 56,32210,606 Gerald JonesSara Jones†
MerthyrTydfilRhymney2007Constituency.svg
Monmouth 67,0989,982 David DaviesYvonne Murphy‡
Monmouth2007Constituency.svg
Montgomeryshire 48,99712,138 Craig WilliamsKishan Devani¤
Montgomeryshire2007Constituency.svg
Neath 56,4195,637 Christina ReesJon Burns†
Neath2007Constituency.svg
Newport East 58,5541,992 Jessica MordenMark Brown†
NewportEast2007Constituency.svg
Newport West 66,657902 Ruth JonesMatthew Evans†
NewportWest2007Constituency.svg
Ogmore 57,5817,805 Chris ElmoreSadie Vidal†
Ogmore2007Constituency.svg
Pontypridd 60,3275,887 Alex Davies-JonesSam Trask†
Pontypridd2007Constituency.svg
Preseli Pembrokeshire 59,6065,062 Stephen CrabbPhilippa Thompson‡
PreseliPembrokeshire2007Constituency.svg
Rhondda 50,26211,440 Chris BryantHannah Jarvis
Rhondda2007Constituency.svg
Swansea East 58,45011,440 Carolyn HarrisDenise Howard†
SwanseaEast2007Constituency.svg
Swansea West 57,0788,116 Geraint DaviesJames Price†
SwanseaWest2007Constituency.svg
Torfaen 62,3303,742 Nick Thomas-SymondsGraham Smith†
Torfaen2007Constituency.svg
Vale of Clwyd 56,6491,827 James Davies Chris Ruane
ValeOfClwyd2007Constituency.svg
Vale of Glamorgan 76,5083,562 Alun CairnsBelinda Loveluck-Edwards‡
ValeOfGlamorgan2007Constituency.svg
Wrexham 49,7372,131 Sarah AthertonMary Wimbury‡
Wrexham2007Constituency.svg
Ynys Môn (Anglesey) 51,9251,968 Virginia CrosbieMary Roberts‡
YnysMon2007Constituency.svg

Proposed boundary changes

Failed sixth periodic review

Under the terms of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, the Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies (the 2018 review) was based on reducing the total number of MPs from 650 to 600 and a strict electoral parity requirement that the electorate of all constituencies should be within a range of 5% either side of the electoral quota.

The Boundary Commission for Wales submitted their final proposals in respect of the Sixth Review in September 2018. Although the proposals were immediately laid before Parliament they were not brought forward by the Government for approval. Accordingly, they did not come into effect for the 2019 election which took place on 12 December 2019, and which was contested using the constituency boundaries in place since 2010.

On 24 March 2020, the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Chloe Smith, issued a written statement to Parliament setting out the Government's thinking with regard to parliamentary boundaries. [6] Subsequently, the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 [7] was passed into law on 14 December 2020 which formally removed the duty to implement the 2018 review and set out the framework for future boundary reviews.

2023 periodic review

Final proposal (2023) Wales UK constituencies map.svg
Map of the final recommendations of the 32 constituencies of Wales, overlayed on the previous 40 constituencies (greyscale). P means 'Protected constituency'.
Final proposal (2023) Wales UK constituencies with 2021-22 proposals.svg
Map of the final recommendations of the 32 constituencies of Wales, overlayed on the previous 40 constituencies (greyscale), with previous 2021–22 proposals in lines. P means 'Protected constituency'.
  2022 revised proposal boundaries (may overlay initial proposals)
  2021 initial proposal boundaries
Both images have existing constituencies in greyscale, with final recommendations in orange lines.

The Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 was passed in December 2020, and the publication of the most recent data of electorate sizes of constituencies on 5 January 2021, lead the Boundary Commission for Wales to begin its review of the parliamentary constituencies in Wales, with the commission required to publish its final recommendations for boundary changes by 1 July 2023. By December 2021, the commission published the responses collected during the consultation period, and then conducted a six-week 'secondary consultation. Unlike the previous periodic review, the total UK constituencies was kept at 650.

When proportionally dividing the total 2021 electoral population of the United Kingdom using a statutory formula between the constituent countries of the UK, it results in England having 543 constituencies, Scotland having 57, Wales having 32 and Northern Ireland with the remaining 18. Each constituency recommended to have no more than 77,062 electors and no less than 69,724. [8] The figure from Wales is calculated to be 8 seats lower from the total constituencies used for the 2019 UK general election when there were 40 constituencies, the largest decrease of any UK country or region. Wales has one 'protected constituency' not subject to UK electoral quotas, Ynys Môn on the Isle of Anglesey, where boundary changes are not applied. The decrease in constituencies in Wales has been described by the commission to represent "the most significant change to Wales's constituencies in a century", and the commission has no control over the number of constituencies in Wales. The final proposal published by the commission no longer required parliamentary approval and the recommendations in the final report were implemented automatically, however the second consultation period allowed public hearing about the proposals. The commission stated that it tried wherever possible to use existing local government boundaries, such as those of existing constituencies and principal areas.

Final recommendations

The final recommendations on the new constituencies in Wales were published on 28 June 2023 by the Boundary Commission for Wales. [2] [9] This followed years of proposals and consultations since 2021, with initial proposals published in 2021 [3] and revised in 2022. [8]

Categorisation of status is purely based on the names used by the constituencies, if a new constituency largely overlaps with a previous one but was renamed, it is considered a new constituency.

New – Did not exist previously with either the name or boundaries.
Expanded – Keeps name but gains wards.
Redefined – Keeps name but with other altered boundaries.
Revived – Former constituency revived under the same name(s).

List of recommended constituencies [9]
Recommended constituency
(Welsh name)
Electorate
(2023)
Area (km2)Electoral wards fromStatusNotes
Previous constituencyPrincipal area
Aberafan Maesteg 69,817397 Bridgend (part) Bridgend New constituency
Ogmore (part) Bridgend
Aberavon (part) Neath Port Talbot
Neath (part) Neath Port Talbot
Alyn and Deeside
Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy
75,695205 Alyn and Deeside (all) Flintshire Expanded constituency
Delyn (part) Flintshire
Bangor Aberconwy 70,4681,435 Aberconwy (all) Conwy New constituency
Clwyd West (part) Conwy
Clwyd West (part) Denbighshire
Arfon (part) Gwynedd
Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
Blaenau Gwent a Rhymni
71,079166 Blaenau Gwent (all) Blaenau Gwent New constituency
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (part) Caerphilly
Islwyn (part) Caerphilly
Caerphilly (part) Caerphilly
Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe
Aberhonddu, Maesyfed a Chwm Tawe
72,1133,090 Brecon and Radnorshire (all) Powys New constituency
Neath (part) Neath Port Talbot
Bridgend
Pen-y-bont
70,770124 Bridgend (part) Bridgend Redefined constituency
Ogmore (part) Bridgend
Caerfyrddin 72,6832,034 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (part) Carmarthenshire Revived constituencyPreviously existed 1542–1997 under its English name "Carmarthen".
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (part) Carmarthenshire
Caerphilly
Caerffili
72,458140 Caerphilly (part) Caerphilly Redefined constituency
Islwyn (part) Caerphilly
Cardiff East
Dwyrain Caerdydd
72,46333 Cardiff Central (part) Cardiff Revived constituencyName restored; previously existed 1918–1950.
Cardiff South and Penarth (part) Cardiff
Cardiff North
Gogledd Caerdydd
71,14349 Cardiff North (all) Cardiff Expanded constituency
Pontypridd (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Cardiff South and Penarth
De Caerdydd a Phenarth
72,26960 Cardiff South and Penarth (part) Cardiff Redefined constituency
Cardiff Central (part) Cardiff
Cardiff South and Penarth (part) Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan (part) Vale of Glamorgan
Cardiff West
Gorllewin Caerdydd
73,94763 Cardiff West (all) Cardiff Expanded constituency
Pontypridd (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Ceredigion Preseli 74,0632,458 Ceredigion (all) Ceredigion New constituency
Preseli Pembrokeshire (part) Pembrokeshire
Clwyd East
Dwyrain Clwyd
76,395676 Clwyd West (part) Denbighshire New constituency
Clwyd South (part) Denbighshire
Vale of Clwyd (part) Denbighshire
Delyn (part) Flintshire
Clwyd South (part) Wrexham
Clwyd North
Gogledd Clwyd
76,150170 Clwyd West (part) Conwy New constituency
Vale of Clwyd (part) Denbighshire
Dwyfor Meirionnydd 72,5332,613 Clwyd South (part) Denbighshire Expanded constituency
Dwyfor Meirionnydd (all) Gwynedd
Arfon (part) Gwynedd
Gower
Gŵyr
76,801345 Gower (part) Swansea Redefined constituency
Swansea West (part) Swansea
Llanelli 69,895397 Llanelli (all) Carmarthenshire Expanded constituency
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (part) Carmarthenshire
Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
Merthyr Tudful ac Aberdâr
74,805245 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (part) Merthyr Tydfil (all)New constituency
Cynon Valley (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Mid and South Pembrokeshire
Canol a De Sir Benfro
76,820985 Preseli Pembrokeshire (part) Pembrokeshire New constituency
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (part) Pembrokeshire
Monmouthshire
Sir Fynwy
72,681884 Monmouth (part) Monmouthshire (all)Revived constituencyName restored; previously existed 1536–1885.
Newport East (part) Monmouthshire (all)
Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Maldwyn a Glyndŵr
74,2232,379 Montgomeryshire (all) Powys New constituency
Clwyd South (part) Wrexham
Neath and Swansea East
Castell-nedd a Dwyrain Abertawe
74,705219 Aberavon (part) Neath Port Talbot New constituency
Neath (part) Neath Port Talbot
Gower (part) Swansea
Swansea East (part) Swansea
Newport East
Dwyrain Casnewydd
76,159142 Newport East (part) Newport Redefined constituency
Newport West (part) Newport
Newport West and Islwyn
Gorllewin Casnewydd ac Islwyn
76,234154 Newport West (part) Newport New constituency
Islwyn (part) Caerphilly
Pontypridd 73,743141 Cynon Valley (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf Redefined constituency
Ogmore (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Pontypridd (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Rhondda and Ogmore
Rhondda ac Ogwr
73,557199 Ogmore (part) Bridgend New constituency
Ogmore (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Pontypridd (part) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Rhondda (all) Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea West
Gorllewin Abertawe
74,61235 Swansea East (part) Swansea Redefined constituency
Swansea West (part) Swansea
Torfaen 70,591126 Torfaen (all) Torfaen (all)Expanded constituency
Monmouth (part) Torfaen (all)
Vale of Glamorgan
Bro Morgannwg
70,426301 Vale of Glamorgan (part) Vale of Glamorgan Redefined constituency
Wrexham
Wrecsam
70,964292 Clwyd South (part) Wrexham Expanded constituency
Wrexham (all) Wrexham
Ynys Môn 52,415746 Ynys Môn (all) Isle of Anglesey (all)Protected constituencyConstituency not subject to the statutory UK electoral quota.

Results history

Primary data source: House of Commons research briefing – General election results from 1918 to 2019 [10]

2019

The numbers of votes cast for each political party who fielded candidates in constituencies comprising Wales in the 2019 general election were as follows:

PartyVotes%Change from 2017SeatsChange from 2017
Labour 632,03540.9%Decrease2.svg8.0%22Decrease2.svg6
Conservative 557,23436.1%Increase2.svg2.5%14Increase2.svg6
Plaid Cymru 153,2659.9%Decrease2.svg0.5%40
Liberal Democrats 92,1716.0%Increase2.svg1.5%00
Brexit 83,9085.4%new00
Greens 15,8281.0%Increase2.svg0.7%00
Others9,9160.6%Decrease2.svg1.6%00
Total1,544,357100.040

Percentage votes

Wales votes percentage Wales votes %25.svg
Wales votes percentage

Key:

CON – Conservative Party, including National Liberal Party up to 1966

LAB – Labour Party

LIB – Liberal Party up to 1979; SDP-Liberal Alliance 1983 & 1987; Liberal Democrats from 1992

PC – Plaid Cymru

UKIP/Br – UK Independence Party 2010 to 2017 (included in Other up to 2005 and in 2019); Brexit Party in 2019

Green – Green Party of England and Wales (included in Other up to 2005)

Seats

Wales seats Wales seats.svg
Wales seats

CON – Conservative Party, including National Liberal Party up to 1966

LAB – Labour Party

LIB – Liberal Party up to 1979; SDP-Liberal Alliance 1983 & 1987; Liberal Democrats from 1992

OTH – 1970 – Independent (S. O. Davies); 2005 – Independent (Peter Law)

PC – Plaid Cymru

Maps

These are maps of the results of the last four general elections in Wales and changes in 2019 following a by-election and a change of affiliation.

2019 by-elections

Two by-elections were held in 2019:

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. "Wales 2019 results". Election 2019 Results. BBC . Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Wales' new parliamentary constituencies published". Boundary Commission for Wales. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Major changes to cut number of Welsh MPs published". BBC News. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  4. Baker, Carl; Uberoi, Elise; Cracknell, Richard (28 January 2020). "General Election 2019: full results and analysis".
  5. 1 2 3 "BBC Elections 2019 results". BBC Elections. 15 December 2019.
  6. "Update: Strengthening Democracy:Written statement – HCWS183". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. "Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020".
  8. 1 2 "Revised Proposals" (PDF). Boundary Commission for Wales. pp. 24–25, 30.
  9. 1 2 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies – The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales (PDF). Boundary Commission for Wales. 28 June 2023.
  10. Watson, Christopher; Uberoi, Elise; Loft, Philip (17 April 2020). "General election results from 1918 to 2019". parliament.uk.