Swansea West LAB Hold

Welsh assembly election

constituency

	Swansea West	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	David Davies	LAB	7023	36.2	0.4
	David Lloyd	PC	4461	23.0	-4.4
	Arthur Day	LD	3510	18.1	2.6
	Dorian Rowbottom	CON	3106	16.0	0.1
	David Evans	UKIP	1040	5.4	5.4
	David Richards	WSAW	272	1.4	1.4
		MAJORITY	2562	13.2
		TURNOUT	19585	33.3	-6.9

ELECTORATE	58749

Top-up region: South Wales West

DESCRIPTION: Swansea West

Swansea West includes some of the city’s leafier, more prosperous suburbs, such as Sketty, which retains a majority of Conservative councillors. But the parliamentary constituency has been in Labour hands since World War II, with the exception of a Tory interlude from 1959-64. It gained a high-profile Labour AM in 1999 in the shape of the assembly’s former business manager, and current economic development minister, Andrew Davies. Since 1964 it has been represented at Westminster by Alan Williams, who had a majority of 29.7% in 2001. In 1979 the Tories came within 401 votes of victory, but they have not got that close since. Labour’s hold on the seat was strengthened by 1983 boundary changes which moved the Mumbles ward into the Gower constituency.

The seat includes Swansea University with its 11,000 students, the St Helens rugby and cricket ground, and the new national maritime museum is due to be completed in the area by 2006. Dylan Thomas’ “ugly, lovely town” was rebuilt after suffering extensive bomb damage during World War II. In recent years the docks have been redeveloped, including a marina linked to the city centre. This maritime quarter includes homes, shops, restaurants, a leisure centre, museum and hotel.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 WELSH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	8217	35.7
	PC	6291	27.4
	CON	3643	15.9
	LD	3543	15.4
	IND	996	4.3
	US	263	1.2

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	15644	48.7
	CON	6094	19
	LD	5313	16.6
	PC	3404	10.6
	UKIP	653	2
	GRN	626	2
	SA	366	1.1