Swansea East LAB Hold

Welsh assembly election

constituency

	Swansea East	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	Val LLoyd	LAB	8221	47.2	1.6
	Peter Black	LD	4224	24.3	5.2
	Dewi Evans	PC	2223	12.8	-14.7
	David Robinson	UKIP	1474	8.5	8.5
	Peter Morris	CON	1135	6.5	-1.5
	Alan Thomson	WSAW	133	0.8	0.8
		MAJORITY	3997	23
		TURNOUT	17567	30.7	-5.7

ELECTORATE	57252

Top-up region: South Wales West

DESCRIPTION: Swansea East

Swansea East was the scene of the only by-election of the assembly’s first term. It followed the death in 2001 of Labour AM Val Feld, a long-time campaigner for devolution who became chair of the assembly’s economic development committee. Three other AMs stepped down from the assembly during its first term, but they were all elected via the regional list and so were replaced by candidates from the same party without a fresh vote. Val Feld was succeeded by Val Lloyd, and although Labour comfortably held the seat, the by-election was characterised by a low turnout of 22% - down on the already low 36% turnout which elected Val Feld was elected, and the cause of much soul-searching by politicians about their relevance long before voters failed in their droves to turn out for the 2001 general election. Plaid Cymru did reasonably well in the first assembly election, in common with many other seats where Labour has traditionally been dominant. But Labour still won fairly easily then, and even more so at the by-election.

Swansea East contains the city's main industrial areas, the docks and several large council estates. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and Morriston Hospital with its specialist cardiac and burns units, are also here.

The parliamentary seat has been held by Labour since 1922.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 WELSH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	9495	45.6
	PC	5714	27.3
	LD	3963	19
	CON	1663	8

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	19612	65.2
	PC	3464	11.5
	LD	3064	10.2
	CON	3026	10.1
	GRN	463	1.5
	UKIP	443	1.5