Rhondda (UK Parliament constituency)

Rhondda is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2001 by Chris Bryant of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Rhondda
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Rhondda in Wales
Preserved countyMid Glamorgan
Electorate50,262 (December 2019)[1]
Major settlementsPorth, Tonypandy, Treherbert, Treorchy, Tylorstown
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentChris Bryant (Labour)
Number of membersOne
Created fromRhondda East and Rhondda West
1885–1918
Number of membersOne
Type of constituencyCounty constituency
Replaced byRhondda East and Rhondda West
Created fromGlamorganshire
Overlaps
Senedd Cymru – Welsh ParliamentSouth Wales Central

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' had 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[5]
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 6,851 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 parliamentary 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[5]
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[6]Party
1885 William Abraham Lib-Lab
1910 Labour
1918 constituency abolished: see Rhondda East and Rhondda West

MPs since 1974
ElectionMember[6]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
Rhondda election results


Elections 1885–1910

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: Rhondda[5]
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)
General election 1886: Rhondda[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab gain from Independent Lib-Lab

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Rhondda[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab hold
General election 1895: Rhondda[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab hold

Elections in the 1900s
William Abraham
General election 1900: Rhondda[5]
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
General election 1906: Rhondda[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Lib-Lab William Abraham Unopposed
Registered electors
Lib-Lab hold

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Rhondda[5]
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
General election December 1910: Rhondda[5]
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

Elections 1974–present

Elections in the 1970s
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)
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 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 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

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1983: Rhondda[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 29,448 61.7 -13.5
SDP 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
General election 1987: Rhondda[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 35,015 73.4 +11.7
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 4,261 8.9 −1.3
SDP 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

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1992: Rhondda[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 34,243 74.5 +1.1
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 5,427 11.8 +2.9
Conservative John Richards 3,588 7.8 ±0.0
Liberal Democrats Paul Nicholls-Jones 2,431 5.3 N/A
Communist (PCC) Mark Fischer 245 0.5 N/A
Majority 28,816 62.7 −1.8
Turnout 45,934 76.6 −1.7
Registered electors 59,955
Labour hold Swing −0.8
General election 1997: Rhondda[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Allan Rogers 30,381 74.5 ±0.0
Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood 5,450 13.4 +1.6
Liberal Democrats 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 -0.8

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2001: Rhondda[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 23,230 68.3 −6.2
Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood 7,183 21.1 +7.7
Conservative Peter Hobbins 1,557 4.6 +0.8
Liberal Democrats 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
General election 2005: Rhondda[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 21,198 68.1 −0.2
Plaid Cymru Percy Jones 4,956 15.9 −5.2
Liberal Democrats 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

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2010: Rhondda[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 17,183 55.3 −12.8
Plaid Cymru Geraint Davies 5,630 18.1 +2.2
Liberal Democrats Paul Wasley 3,309 10.6 +0.1
Independent Philip Howe 2,599 8.4 N/A
Conservative Juliette Henderson 1,993 6.4 +0.8
UKIP Taffy John 359 1.2 N/A
Majority 11,553 37.2 –14.9
Turnout 31,072 60.3 −0.7
Registered electors 51,554
Labour hold Swing −7.5
General election 2015: Rhondda[19][20][21]
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 Democrats George Summers 474 1.5 −9.1
Green Lisa Rapado 453 1.4 N/A
Rejected ballots 56
Majority 7,455 23.6 −13.6
Turnout 31,538 60.9 +0.6
Registered electors 51,811
Labour hold Swing −6.8

Of the 56 rejected ballots:

  • 34 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.[21]
  • 22 voted for more than one candidate.[21]
General election 2017: Rhondda[22][23][24]
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 Democrats 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.[25]

General election 2019: Rhondda[26][27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Chris Bryant 16,115 54.4 -9.7
Conservative Hannah Jarvis 4,675 15.8 +5.7
Plaid Cymru Branwen Cennard 4,069 13.7 –8.6
Brexit Party John Watkins 3,733 12.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Rodney Berman 612 2.1 +1.3
Green Shaun Thomas 438 1.5 N/A
Majority 11,440 38.6 –3.2
Turnout 29,642 59.0 –6.2
Registered electors 50,262
Labour hold Swing
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See also

Notes
  1. A borough 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.

References
  1. "Rhondda Parliamentary constituency". Election 2019 Results. BBC. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. Archived 25 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Williams. Democratic Rhondda. pp. 33–7.
  4. "The Rhondda Valley Liberal Three Hundred". Cardiff Times. 11 April 1885. Retrieved 16 May 2014..
  5. Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London and Basingstoke: The Macmillan Press Ltd. ISBN 9780333169032. Page 460
  6. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  7. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  8. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  11. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. "BBC NEWS>VOTE 2001>Results and Constituencies>Rhondda". Vote 2001. BBC News. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  13. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "BBC NEWS > Rhondda". Vote 2001. BBC News. 7 June 2001. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  15. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. "Rhondda parliamentary constituency - Election 2005". BBC.
  17. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. Rhondda BBC Election – Rhondda
  19. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. "Rhondda Parliamentary constituency". Election 2015 Results. BBC. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  21. "Rhondda Results". UK Parliamentary Elections May 2015 results. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  22. "General Election 2017: Who are the candidates standing in Rhondda?". Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  23. "Rhondda Parliamentary constituency". Election 2017 Results. BBC. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  24. "2017 Results". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  25. Results of the 2017 United Kingdom general election
  26. "Statements of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Rhondda Cynon Taf. Rhondda Cynon Taf. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  27. "Rhondda Parliamentary constituency". Election 2019 Results. BBC. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  28. "Election-Results/General-Election-2019". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 9 April 2020.

Bibliography
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