Rhondda (UK Parliament constituency)

Rhondda
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Rhondda in Wales.
Preserved county Mid Glamorgan
Electorate 52,862 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Porth, Tonypandy, Treherbert, Treorchy, Tylorstown
Current constituency
Created 1974 (1974)
Member of parliament Chris Bryant (Labour)
Number of members One
Created from Rhondda East and Rhondda West
1885–1918
Number of members One
Type of constituency County constituency
Replaced by Rhondda East and Rhondda West
Created from Glamorganshire
Overlaps
Welsh Assembly South Wales Central
European Parliament constituency Wales

Rhondda is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The current MP is Chris Bryant of the Labour Party, first elected at the 2001 general election.

Boundaries

1974-1983: The Municipal Borough of Rhondda.

1983-2010: The Borough of Rhondda.

2010–present: The Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough electoral divisions of Cwm Clydach, Cymmer, Ferndale, Llwyn-y-pia, Maerdy, Pentre, Pen-y-graig, Porth, Tonypandy, Trealaw, Treherbert, Treorchy, Tylorstown, Ynyshir, and Ystrad.

The Westminster constituency of Rhondda is based around the southern edge of the Rhondda Cynon Taf council area, with population centres including Treherbert, Maerdy, Tylorstown, Tonypandy, and Pen-y-Graig. The seat borders the constituencies of Cynon Valley, Ogmore, Pontypridd, and Aberavon.

History

This constituency was first created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, for the 1885 general election. For the 1918 general election it was divided into Rhondda East and Rhondda West.

The constituency was re-united in 1974. Since 1974, the constituency has always had a large Labour majority, and in the 1987 general election was the safest seat for any party, anywhere in Britain. In 2001, it was the only seat in the country where Liberal Democrats lost their deposit, and the Conservative Party also lost their deposit in their worst performance outside Northern Ireland.[2]

Early History: the 1885 General Election

The constituency was formed following the Third Reform Act of 1884, as a result of the rapid growth of population in the two valleys over the previous twenty years. During the 1880s the demand for working men representatives in the ranks of the Parliamentary Liberal Party were increasingly vociferous and there was a precedent for a Liberal-Labour (Lib-Lab) candidate in South Wales as Thomas Halliday had contested Merthyr Tydfil in 1874.

The local trade union, the Rhondda Steam Coal Miners' Association, laid claim to the candidacy as early as 1883, on the basis that the franchise had been extended to many working men within the county constituencies and that in Mabon, their agent for six years they had the ideal candidate.[3] The local Liberal Association, however, formed in early 1885,was dominated by middle-class business and professional men, and included a disproportionate number of colliery officials. . Lewis Davis of Ferndale, brother of David Davis, Maesyffynnon, one of the leading coalowners in the valley, was selected as president of the association.[3] Ministers, including William Morris of Noddfa, Treorchy were also prominent.[4] At a meeting in April 1885 six names were put forward as possible candidates for the nomination, including Lewis Davis, Mabon and Alfred Thomas, a leading figure in the municipal life of Cardiff.[4] Shortly afterwards, Lewis Davis was invited by the Association to be its parliamentary candidate and defeated Mabon in a ballot by 143 votes to 51. In spite of his selection, however, he declined and proposed that his son, the 22-year-old Frederick Lewis Davis, be the candidate. In a further ballot, F.L. Davis again defeated Mabon by 125 votes to 56.[3]

The refusal of the trade union movement to accept this decision and to support an independent campaign by Mabon is regarded as an important watershed in the political history of South Wales. In terms of policy there was little apparent difference between the candidates, with the only notable difference being that Mabon supported the payment of MPs while Davis did not.[3] The campaign was therefore waged on other grounds. Davis's supporters claimed that Mabon lacked legitimacy, having been rejected by the Liberal Association. Mabon's adherents, in turn, claimed that the miners' and held mass meetings throughout the two valleys to promote his candidature long before the middle-class-dominated Association was established.[3] Davis's youth and inexperience was a major issue, although he had qualified as a barrister. There were also claims of intimidation on both sides. Mabon's supporters were said to be victimised at the workplace while several of Davis's meetings were disrupted by violence.[3]

Class therefore became a major issue in the campaign. The vast majority of Mabon' supporters were trade union activists and working men, along with a relatively small number of tradesmen and professionals, some of whom had links of one form or another to the miners' union. These included Walter H. Morgan of Pontypridd, often described as the miners' lawyer. One nonconformist minister, supported Mabon, namely John Salisbury Edwards of Treorchy. In contest, Davis had the support of the vast majority of the middle-classes in the Rhondda, and natural deference together with the paternalistic influence of the Davis family, in the Rhondda Fach in particular, was a factor.[3]

On polling day, Mabon scored a clear and decisive victory.

General Election 1885: Rhondda
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham 3,859 56.3 N/A
Liberal Frederick Lewis Davis 2,992 43.7 N/A
Majority 867 12.6 N/A
Turnout 6851 83.5 N/A
Lib-Lab win (new seat)

Despite the fierce contest the two wings of the Liberal Party in the Rhondda were soon reconciled. After the result, the Davis family accepted Mabon's victory and he was not challenged thereafter for the parliamentray seat. Following the election, Mabon's supporters established the Rhondda Labour and Liberal Association which shortly afterwards absorbed the rival Liberal Association which had supported Davis.[3] Mabon was returned unopposed the following year.

General Election 1886: Rhondda
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed N/A N/A
Lib-Lab hold Swing N/A

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918

ElectionMember[5]Party
1885 William Abraham Lib-Lab
1910 Labour
1918 constituency abolished: see Rhondda East and Rhondda West

MPs since 1974

ElectionMember[5]PartyNotes
Feb 1974 Alec Jones Labour Shadow Welsh Secretary 1979-1983. Died in office March 1983; no by-election held due to imminent general election.
1983 Allan Rogers Labour
2001 Chris Bryant Labour Shadow Cabinet Member 2011–16

Elections

Elections 1974-present

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2017: Rhondda[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 21,096 64.1 +13.4
Plaid Cymru Branwen Cennard 7,350 22.3 -4.7
Conservative Virginia Crosbie 3,333 10.1 +3.4
UKIP Janet Kenrick 880 2.7 -10.0
Liberal Democrat Karen Roberts 277 0.8 -0.7
Majority 13,746 41.8 +18.2
Turnout 32,886 65.2 +4.3
Registered electors 50,514
Labour hold Swing +9.1

The seat saw the fewest Conservative votes on mainland Great Britain in 2017, 22 fewer than in Manchester Gorton; likewise as to the Liberal Democrat votes, 18 votes fewer than in Blaenau Gwent[7]

General Election 2015: Rhondda[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 15,976 50.7 −4.6
Plaid Cymru Shelley Rees-Owen 8,521 27.0 +8.9
UKIP Ron Hughes 3,998 12.7 +11.5
Conservative Lyn Hudson 2,116 6.7 +0.3
Liberal Democrat George Summers 474 1.5 −9.1
Green Lisa Rapado 453 1.4 N/A
Majority 7,455 23.6 −13.6
Turnout 31,538 60.9 +0.6
Registered electors 51,811
Labour hold Swing −6.8
General Election 2010: Rhondda[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 17,183 55.3 −12.8
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 5,630 18.1 +2.2
Liberal Democrat Paul Wasley 3,309 10.6 +0.2
Independent Philip Howe 2,599 8.4 N/A
Conservative Juliette Henderson 1,993 6.4 +0.9
UKIP Taffy John 359 1.2 N/A
Majority 11,553 37.2 -14.9
Turnout 31,072 60.3 −1.5
Registered electors 51,554
Labour hold Swing −7.5

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Rhondda[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 21,198 68.1 −0.2
Plaid Cymru Percy Jones 4,956 15.9 −5.2
Liberal Democrat Karen Roberts 3,264 10.5 +6.0
Conservative Paul Stuart-Smith 1,730 5.6 +1.0
Majority 16,242 52.1 +4.9
Turnout 31,148 61.0 +0.4
Registered electors 50,461
Labour hold Swing +2.5
General Election 2001: Rhondda[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 23,230 68.3 −6.1
Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood 7,183 21.1 +7.8
Conservative Peter Hobbins 1,557 4.6 +0.8
Liberal Democrat Gavin Cox 1,525 4.5 −1.2
Independent Glyndwr Summers 507 1.5 N/A
Majority 16,047 47.2 -13.9
Turnout 34,002 60.6 −10.9
Registered electors 56,121
Labour hold Swing -7.0

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Rhondda[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 30,381 74.5 +0.0
Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood 5,450 13.4 +1.6
Liberal Democrat Rodney Berman 2,307 5.7 +0.4
Conservative Steven Whiting 1,551 3.8 −4.0
Referendum Stephen Gardiner 658 1.6 N/A
Green Kevin Jakeway 460 1.1 N/A
Majority 24,931 61.1 -1.6
Turnout 40,807 71.5 -5.1
Registered electors 57,105
Labour hold Swing -0.80
General Election 1992: Rhondda[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 34,243 74.5 +1.2
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 5,427 11.8 +2.9
Conservative John Richards 3,588 7.8 +0.2
Liberal Democrat Paul Nicholls-Jones 2,431 5.3 N/A
Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee) Mark Fischer 245 0.5 N/A
Majority 28,816 62.7 −1.6
Turnout 45,934 76.6 −1.4
Registered electors 59,955
Labour hold Swing −0.8

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Rhondda[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 35,015 73.4 +11.7
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 4,261 8.9 −1.3
Social Democratic John York-Williams 3,930 8.2 −8.7
Conservative Stephen Reid 3,611 7.8 −0.5
Communist Arthur True 869 1.8 −1.0
Majority 30,754 64.5 +19.7
Turnout 47,686 78.3 +2.1
Registered electors 60,931
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1983: Rhondda[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 29,448 61.7 -13.5
Social Democratic Allan Lloyd 8,078 16.9 N/A
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 4,845 10.2 +0.0
Conservative Peter Meyer 3,973 8.3 -4.6
Communist Arthur True 1,350 2.8 -0.8
Majority 21,370 44.8 -17.4
Turnout 47,694 76.2 -3.6
Registered electors 62,587
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Rhondda
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Alec Jones 38,007 75.2 −1.9
Conservative Peter Leyshon 6,526 12.9 +5.4
Plaid Cymru Glyn Powell James 4,226 10.2 +1.9
Communist Arthur True 1,819 3.6 +0.8
Majority 31,481 62.2 -6.6
Turnout 50,578 79.8 +3.6
Registered electors 63,412
Labour hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Rhondda
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Alec Jones 38,654 77.1 +6.4
Plaid Cymru Donald Morgan 4,173 8.3 −4.6
Conservative Peter Leyshon 3,739 7.5 −0.4
Liberal Dennis James Austin 2,142 4.3 −1.6
Communist Arthur True 1,404 2.8 +0.2
Majority 34,481 68.8 +11.0
Turnout 50,488 76.2 −3.8
Registered electors 65,787
Labour hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Rhondda
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Alec Jones 36,880 70.7 N/A
Plaid Cymru Glyn Powell James 6,739 12.9 N/A
Conservative Peter Leyshon 4,111 7.9 N/A
Liberal Dennis James Austin 3,056 5.9 N/A
Communist Arthur True 1,374 2.6 N/A
Majority 30,141 57.8 N/A
Turnout 52,160 80.0 N/A
Registered electors 65,192
Labour win (new seat)

Elections 1885-1910

Elections in the 1910s

General Election December 1910: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour William Abraham 9,073 71.0 -7.2
Conservative Harold Lloyd 3,701 29.0 +7.2
Majority 5,372 42.0 -14.4
Turnout 12,774 72.4 -17.8
Registered electors 17,640
Labour hold Swing -7.2
General Election January 1910: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour William Abraham 12,436 78.2 N/A
Conservative Harold Lloyd 3,471 21.8 N/A
Majority 8,965 56.4 N/A
Turnout 15,907 90.2 N/A
Registered electors 17,640
Labour hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1900s

William Abraham
General Election 1906: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab hold
General Election 1900: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham 8,383 81.7 N/A
Conservative Robert Hughes 1,874 18.3 N/A
Majority 6,509 63.4 N/A
Turnout 10,257 81.7 N/A
Registered electors 12,549
Lib-Lab hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1895: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab hold
General Election 1892: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab hold

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1886: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab gain from Independent Lib-Lab
General Election 1885: Rhondda[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Lib-Lab William Abraham 3,859 56.3 N/A
Liberal Frederick Lewis Davis 2,992 43.7 N/A
Majority 867 12.6 N/A
Turnout 6,851 83.5 N/A
Registered electors 8,210
Independent Liberal-Labour win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Beyond 20/20 WDS - Table view". 2011 Electorate Figures. StatsWales. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ Archived 25 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Williams. Democratic Rhondda. pp. 33–7.
  4. 1 2 "The Rhondda Valley Liberal Three Hundred". Cardiff Times. 11 April 1885. Retrieved 16 May 2014. .
  5. 1 2 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  6. ↑ name=Wales Online>"General Election 2017: Who are the candidates standing in Rhondda?". Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  7. ↑ Results_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2017,_by_parliamentary_constituency
  8. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ↑ Rhondda BBC Election - Rhondda
  11. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.

Bibliography

  • Williams, Chris (1996). Democratic Rhondda: politics and Society 1885-1951. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
  • Morgan, Kenneth O. (1960). "Democratic Politics in Glamorgan, 1884-1914". Morgannwg. 4: 5–27.

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