1999 National Assembly for Wales election

The first National Assembly for Wales elections were held on 6 May 1999. The overall turnout of voters was 46.3%.[1] Although Welsh Labour were the biggest party, they did not gain enough seats to form a majority government and instead entered into coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The election was marked by the historically high level of support for Plaid Cymru, who won their highest share of the vote in any Wales-wide election and, as of 2016, their highest number of seats in an Assembly election to date. The party won considerable support in traditionally safe Labour areas such as the South Wales Valleys, winning Rhondda and Islwyn and narrowly failing to win a number of other seats.

1999 National Assembly for Wales election
6 May 1999
All 60 seats to the National Assembly for Wales
31 seats needed for a majority
Turnout46%
  First party Second party
 
Leader Alun Michael Dafydd Wigley
Party Labour Plaid Cymru
Leader's seat Mid & West Wales Caernarfon
Seats won 28 17
FPTP Vote 384,671 290,572
Percentage 37.6% 28.4%
List Vote 361,657 312,048
Percentage 35.4% 30.5%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Rod Richards Michael German
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat North Wales South Wales East
Seats won 9 6
FPTP Vote 162,133 137,857
Percentage 15.8% 13.5%
List Vote 168,206 128,008
Percentage 16.5% 12.5%
The left side shows constituency winners of the election by their party colours. The right side shows regional winners of the election for the additional members by their party colours.
Elected First Secretary

Alun Michael
Labour

Wales
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For lists of constituencies and regions, see National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions.

Results map of the 1999 National Assembly election (regional list results).

Election results
  • Overall turnout: 46%
 
Welsh Assembly election, 1999
Parties Additional member system Total seats
Constituency Region
Votes % +/− Seats +/− Votes % +/− Seats +/− Total +/− %
Labour 384,671 37.6 N/A 27 N/A 361,657 35.4 N/A 1 N/A 28 N/A 46.7
Plaid Cymru 290,572 28.4 N/A 9 N/A 312,048 30.5 N/A 8 N/A 17 N/A 28.3
Conservative 162,133 15.8 N/A 1 N/A 168,206 16.5 N/A 8 N/A 9 N/A 15.0
Liberal Democrats 137,857 13.5 N/A 3 N/A 128,008 12.5 N/A 3 N/A 6 N/A 10.0
Green 1,002 0.1 N/A 0 N/A 25,858 2.5 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0
Socialist Labour - - - - - 10,720 1.0 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0
Natural Law - - - - - 3,861 0.4 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0
United Socialist 3,967 0.4 N/A 0 N/A 3,590 0.4 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0
Communist 609 0.1 N/A 0 N/A 1,366 0.1 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0
Independent 30,554 3.0 N/A 0 N/A - - - - - 0 N/A 0
Independent Labour 4,134 0.4 N/A 0 N/A - - - - - 0 N/A 0
Others 7,736 0.8 N/A 0 N/A 4,673 0.5 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0
 Total1,023,22540 1,019,987 2060 

Votes summary
Popular Vote
Labour
 
 35.40%
Plaid Cymru
 
 30.50%
Conservative
 
 16.50%
Liberal Democrats
 
 12.50%
Green
 
 2.50%
Socialist Labour
 
 1.00%
Others
 
 1.60%
Parliament seats
Labour
 
 46.67%
Plaid Cymru
 
 28.33%
Conservative
 
 15.00%
Liberal Democrats
 
 10.00%

Constituency and Regional Summary

Mid and West Wales
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: Mid and West Wales
Constituency Elected member Result
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Rhodri Glyn Thomas Plaid Cymru gain
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Christine Gwyther Labour gain
Ceredigion Elin Jones Plaid Cymru gain
Llanelli Helen Mary Jones Plaid Cymru gain
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy Dafydd Elis-Thomas Plaid Cymru gain
Montgomeryshire Mick Bates Liberal Democrats gain
Preseli Pembrokeshire Richard Edwards Labour gain
Brecon and Radnorshire Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrats gain
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: Mid and West Wales
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Plaid Cymru Cynog Dafis 1 N/A 84,554 38.55% N/A
Labour Alun Michael 1 N/A 53,842 24.55% N/A
Conservative Nick Bourne
Edward Glyn Davies		 2 N/A 36,622 16.70% N/A
Liberal Democrats 0 N/A 31,683 14.44% N/A
Green 0 N/A 7,718 3.52% N/A
Socialist Labour 0 N/A 3,019 1.38% N/A
Independent 0 N/A 1,214 0.55% N/A
Natural Law 0 N/A 705 0.32% N/A

North Wales
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: North Wales
Constituency Elected member Result
Alyn and Deeside Tom Middlehurst Labour gain
Caernarfon Dafydd Wigley Plaid Cymru gain
Clwyd South Karen Sinclair Labour gain
Clwyd West Alun Pugh Labour gain
Conwy Gareth Jones Plaid Cymru gain
Delyn Alison Halford Labour gain
Vale of Clwyd Margaret Ann Jones Labour gain
Wrexham John Marek Labour gain
Ynys Môn Ieuan Wyn Jones Plaid Cymru gain
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: North Wales
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Labour 0 N/A 73,673 34.19% N/A
Plaid Cymru Janet Ryder 1 N/A 69,518 32.26% N/A
Conservative Rod Richards
Peter Rogers		 2 N/A 41,700 19.35% N/A
Liberal Democrats Christine Humphreys 1 N/A 22,130 10.27% N/A
Green 0 N/A 4,667 2.17% N/A
Rhuddlan Debt Protest Campaign 0 N/A 1,353 0.63% N/A
Natural Law 0 N/A 917 0.43% N/A
Socialist Alliance 0 N/A 828 0.38% N/A
Communist 0 N/A 714 0.33% N/A

South Wales Central
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: South Wales Central
Constituency Elected member Result
Cardiff South and Penarth Lorraine Barrett Labour gain
Cardiff West Rhodri Morgan Labour gain
Cynon Valley Christine Chapman Labour gain
Pontypridd Jane Davidson Labour gain
Rhondda Geraint Rhys Davies Plaid Cymru gain
Vale of Glamorgan Jane Hutt Labour gain
Cardiff Central Jennifer Elizabeth Randerson Liberal Democrats gain
Cardiff North Sue Essex Labour gain
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: South Wales Central
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Labour 0 N/A 79,564 36.92% N/A
Plaid Cymru Pauline Jarman
Owen John Thomas		 2 N/A 58,080 26.95% N/A
Conservative Jonathan Morgan
David Melding		 2 N/A 34,944 16.22% N/A
Liberal Democrats 0 N/A 30,911 14.35% N/A
Green 0 N/A 5,336 2.48% N/A
Socialist Labour 0 N/A 2,822 1.31% N/A
Independent 0 N/A 1,524 0.71% N/A
Natural Law 0 N/A 665 0.31% N/A
Communist 0 N/A 652 0.30% N/A
Socialist Alliance 0 N/A 602 0.28% N/A
Independent 0 N/A 378 0.18% N/A

South Wales East
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: South Wales East
Constituency Elected member Result
Islwyn Brian Hancock Plaid Cymru gain
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Huw Lewis Labour gain
Monmouth David Thomas Charles Davies Conservative gain
Blaenau Gwent Peter Law Labour gain
Newport East John Griffiths Labour gain
Newport West Dame Rosemary Janet Mair Butler Labour gain
Torfaen Lynne Neagle Labour gain
Caerphilly Ron Davies Labour gain
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: South Wales East
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Labour 0 N/A 83,953 41.82% N/A
Plaid Cymru Jocelyn Davies
Professor Philip James Stradling Williams		 2 N/A 49,139 24.48% N/A
Conservative William Graham 1 N/A 33,947 16.91% N/A
Liberal Democrats Michael James German 1 N/A 24,757 12.33% N/A
Socialist Labour 0 N/A 4,879 2.43% N/A
Green 0 N/A 4,055 2.02% N/A

South Wales West
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: South Wales West
Constituency Elected member Result
Aberavon Brian Gibbons Labour gain
Gower Edwina Hart Labour gain
Neath Gwenda Thomas Labour gain
Ogmore Janice Gregory Labour gain
Swansea East Val Feld Labour gain
Swansea West Andrew Davies Labour gain
Bridgend Carwyn Jones Labour gain
National Assembly for Wales election, 1999: South Wales West
Party Elected candidates Seats +/− Votes % +/−%
Labour 0 N/A 70,625 42.25% N/A
Plaid Cymru Janet Marion Davies
Dr David Rees Lloyd		 2 N/A 50,757 30.37% N/A
Conservative Alun Cairns 1 N/A 20,993 12.56% N/A
Liberal Democrats Peter Black 1 N/A 18.527 11.09% N/A
Green 0 N/A 4,082 2.44% N/A
Socialist Alliance 0 N/A 1,257 0.75% N/A
Natural Law 0 N/A 676 0.40% N/A
People's Representative Party 0 N/A 204 0.12% N/A
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See also
  • National Assembly for Wales

References
  1. Morgan, Bryn (12 May 1999). "Research Paper 99/51 - Welsh Assembly Elections: 6 May 1999" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 15 April 2015.

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