Blaenau Gwent LAB Hold

Welsh assembly election

constituency

	Blaenau Gwent	LAB Hold

	CANDIDATE	PARTY	VOTES	%	+/-%
	Peter Law	LAB	13884	70.2	8.4
	Stephen Bard	LD	2148	10.9	-0.6
	Rhys Ab Ellis	PC	1889	9.6	-11.6
	Barrie O'Keefe	CON	1131	5.7	0.2
	Roger Thomas	UKIP	719	3.6	3.6
		MAJORITY	11736	59.4
		TURNOUT	20022	37.8	-10.7

ELECTORATE	52927

Top-up region: South Wales East

DESCRIPTION: Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent is an area with a proud past and troubled present. Industrial upheaval, social protest and famous parliamentary names have all featured in a constituency which is struggling to recover from economic hard times. The Chartists had met in Nantyglo in the 1830s before marching on Newport with their demands for social change. Blaenau Gwent, on the eastern edge of the South Wales coalfield, continues to reflect this radical heritage. The current seat was created in 1983 and takes in Ebbw Vale, previously represented by two of the most prominent Labour figures of the 20th century: Aneurin Bevan and former party leader Michael Foot. Its Labour MP since 1992 has been Llew Smith, and it also elected a Labour AM, Peter Law, at the first assembly election. Both have had their difficulties with their respective Labour leaderships in Westminster and the assembly.

Ebbw Vale’s last steelworks closed in 2002 and the area has one of the worst unemployment levels in Britain. In the 2001 census, the area recorded one of the highest numbers of people in poor health. The constituency also has one of the highest unemployment rates in the UK and is the cheapest place in Britain to buy a house, with an average price of £44,000.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

	1999 WELSH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	16069	61.8
	PC	5501	21.1
	LD	2980	11.4
	CON	1444	5.6

	2001 GENERAL ELECTION		LAB WIN
	PARTY	VOTES	%
	LAB	22855	72
	PC	3542	11.2
	LD	2945	9.3
	CON	2383	7.5