Vale of Glamorgan (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983 onwards

Not to be confused with Vale of Glamorgan (Senedd constituency).

Vale of Glamorgan

County constituency
for the House of Commons

Interactive map of the constituency.

Location of the constituency within Wales

Preserved county| South Glamorgan
Electorate| 74,374 (July 2024)[1]
Major settlements| Barry, Llantwit Major, Cowbridge
Current constituency
Created| 1983
Member of Parliament| Kanishka Narayan (Labour)
Seats| One
Created from| Barry and Pontypridd[2]
Overlaps
Senedd| Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales Central

Vale of Glamorgan (Welsh: Bro Morgannwg) is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Kanishka Narayan, a Labour MP.[n 2]

The constituency retained its name but its boundaries were altered as part of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the 2024 general election.[3]

## Boundaries

[edit]

1983–2010: The Borough of Vale of Glamorgan wards of Baruc, Buttrills, Cadoc, Castleland, Court, Cowbridge, Dinas Powys, Dyfan, Gibbonsdown, Illtyd, Llandow, Llantwit Major, Peterson-super-Ely, Rhoose, St Athan, Sully, and Wenvoe.

2010–2024: The Vale of Glamorgan County Borough electoral divisions of Baruc, Buttrills, Cadoc, Castleland, Court, Cowbridge, Dinas Powys, Dyfan, Gibbonsdown, Illtyd, Llandow and Ewenny, Llantwit Major, Peterston-super-Ely, Rhoose, St Athan, St Bride's Major, and Wenvoe. Sully ward was transferred to Cardiff South and Penarth in 2010.

2024–present: As a result of the 2023 boundary review, Dinas Powys was transferred to Cardiff South and Penarth, representing 8.3% of its size.[4]

Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2022,[5] the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Vale of Glamorgan County Borough from the 2024 general election:[6]

* Baruc, Buttrills, Cadoc, Castleland, Court, Cowbridge, Dyfan, Gibbonsdown, Illtyd, Llandow, Llantwit Major, Peterston-super-Ely, Rhoose, St Athan, St Bride's Major, St Nicholas and Llancarfan, and Wenvoe.

## History

[edit]

This marginal constituency to the west of Cardiff takes in the Labour-voting seaside resort of Barry and a number of Conservative villages and small towns, such as Cowbridge. It is a bellwether constituency, having been won by the party with a plurality of seats in every general election since the seat was created in1983, although Labour won a by-election in 1989 during the Major ministry of 1987-1992. There have been some close shaves for both parties here in the past: Conservative Walter Sweeney got home by a mere 19 votes in 1992; and John Smith had a majority of under 2,000 in 2005. Smith stood down from Parliament due to ill health for the 2010 election, and the seat went to Conservative Alun Cairns, who served as Secretary of State for Wales from 2016 to 2019. In 2024, the constituency swung back to Labour in line with the national election result.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member[7] | Party

|
|

| 1983 | Sir Raymond Gower | Conservative
| 1989 by-election | John Smith | Labour
| 1992 | Walter Sweeney | Conservative
| 1997 | John Smith | Labour
| 2010 | Alun Cairns | Conservative
| 2024 | Kanishka Narayan | Labour

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 2020s

[edit]

General election 2024: Vale of Glamorgan[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Kanishka Narayan | 17,740  | 38.7  | −5.2
| Conservative | Alun Cairns | 13,524  | 29.5  | −19.6
| Reform UK | Toby Rhodes-Matthews  | 6,973  | 15.2  | N/A
| Plaid Cymru | Ian James Johnson  | 3,245  | 7.1  | N/A
| Green | Lynden Mack  | 1,881  | 4.1  | −1.9
| Liberal Democrats | Steven Rajam  | 1,612  | 3.5  | N/A
| Abolish | Stuart Field  | 669  | 1.5  | N/A
| Independent | Steven Sluman  | 182  | 0.4  | N/A
Majority | 4,216  | 9.2  | +2.7
Turnout | 45,826  | 61.6  | −9.4
Registered electors | 74,374  |  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |  7.2  |

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

2019 notional result [n 3] [9]

Party  | Vote  | %
| Conservative | 24,535  | 49.1
| Labour | 21,969  | 43.9
| Green Party | 2,981  | 6.0
| Gwlad Gwlad | 508  | 1.0
Majority | 2,566  | 5.1
Turnout | 49,993  | 71.0
Electorate | 70,426
General election 2019: Vale of Glamorgan[10][11][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alun Cairns | 27,305  | 49.8  | +2.3
| Labour | Belinda Loveluck-Edwards  | 23,743  | 43.3  | −0.1
| Green | Anthony Slaughter  | 3,251  | 5.9  | +5.1
| Gwlad Gwlad | Laurence Williams  | 508  | 0.9  | N/A
Rejected ballots  | 294  |  |
Majority | 3,562  | 6.5  | +2.4
Turnout | 54,807  | 71.6  | −1.0
Registered electors | 76,508  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.2  |

Of the 294 rejected ballots:

* 255 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.[12]
* 37 voted for more than one candidate.[12]
* 2 had writing or mark by which the voter could be identified.[12]

General election 2017: Vale of Glamorgan[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alun Cairns | 25,501  | 47.5  | +1.5
| Labour | Camilla Beaven  | 23,311  | 43.4  | +10.8
| Plaid Cymru | Ian Johnson  | 2,295  | 4.3  | −1.3
| Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Geroni  | 1,020  | 1.9  | −0.7
| UKIP | Melanie Hunter-Clarke  | 868  | 1.8  | −8.1
| Green | Stephen Davis-Barker  | 419  | 0.8  | −1.3
| Women's Equality | Sharon Lovell  | 177  | 0.3  | N/A
| Pirate | David Elston  | 127  | 0.2  | N/A
Majority | 2,190  | 4.1  | −9.3
Turnout | 53,718  | 72.6  | +1.5
Registered electors | 73,959  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −4.6  |
General election 2015: Vale of Glamorgan[14][15][16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alun Cairns | 23,607  | 46.0  | +4.2
| Labour | Chris Elmore | 16,727  | 32.6  | −0.3
| UKIP | Kevin Mahoney  | 5,489  | 10.7  | +7.6
| Plaid Cymru | Ian Johnson  | 2,869  | 5.6  | +0.1
| Liberal Democrats | David Morgan  | 1,309  | 2.6  | −12.6
| Green | Alan Armstrong  | 1,054  | 2.1  | +1.2
| CISTA | Steve Reed  | 238  | 0.5  | N/A
Majority | 6,880  | 13.4  | +4.5
Turnout | 51,293  | 71.1  | +1.8
Registered electors | 72,794  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.3  |

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Vale of Glamorgan

General election 2010: Vale of Glamorgan[17][18][19] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alun Cairns | 20,341  | 41.8  | +4.4
| Labour | Alana E. Davies  | 16,034  | 32.9  | −7.8
| Liberal Democrats | Eluned Parrott | 7,403  | 15.2  | +2.0
| Plaid Cymru | Ian Johnson  | 2,667  | 5.5  | +0.4
| UKIP | Kevin Mahoney  | 1,529  | 3.1  | +1.4
| Green | Rhodri H. Thomas  | 457  | 0.9  | N/A
| Christian | John Harrold  | 236  | 0.5  | N/A
Majority | 4,307  | 8.9  | N/A
Turnout | 48,667  | 69.3  | +0.7
Registered electors | 70,211  |  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +6.1  |
General election 2005: Vale of Glamorgan[20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | John Smith | 19,481  | 41.2  | −4.2
| Conservative | Alun Cairns | 17,673  | 37.3  | +2.3
| Liberal Democrats | Mark Hooper  | 6,140  | 13.0  | +0.8
| Plaid Cymru | Barry Shaw  | 2,423  | 5.1  | −1.2
| UKIP | Richard Suchorzewski  | 840  | 1.8  | +0.8
| Liberal | Karl-James Langford  | 605  | 1.3  | N/A
| Socialist Labour | Paul Mules  | 162  | 0.3  | N/A
Majority | 1,808  | 3.9  | −6.5
Turnout | 47,324  | 68.9  | +2.2
Registered electors | 68,657  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing | −3.3  |

### Elections in the 2000s

[edit]

General election 2001: Vale of Glamorgan[22][23] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | John Smith | 20,524  | 45.4  | −8.5
| Conservative | Susan Inkin  | 15,824  | 35.0  | +0.6
| Liberal Democrats | Dewi Smith  | 5,521  | 12.2  | +3.0
| Plaid Cymru | Chris Franks | 2,867  | 6.3  | +3.7
| UKIP | Timothy Warry  | 448  | 1.0  | N/A
Majority | 4,700  | 10.4  | −9.1
Turnout | 45,184  | 66.7  | −13.3
Registered electors | 67,774  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing | −4.6  |

### Elections in the 1990s

[edit]

General election 1997: Vale of Glamorgan[24][25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | John Smith | 29,054  | 53.9  | +9.6
| Conservative | Walter Sweeney | 18,522  | 34.4  | −9.9
| Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Campbell  | 4,945  | 9.2  | ±0.0
| Plaid Cymru | Melanie Corp  | 1,393  | 2.6  | +0.5
Majority | 10,532  | 19.5  | N/A
Turnout | 53,914  | 80.0  | −1.9
Registered electors | 67,413  |  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | −9.8  |
General election 1992: Vale of Glamorgan[26][27] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Walter Sweeney | 24,220  | 44.3  | −2.5
| Labour | John Smith | 24,201  | 44.3  | +9.6
| Liberal Democrats | David Davies  | 5,045  | 9.2  | −7.5
| Plaid Cymru | David Haswell  | 1,160  | 2.1  | +0.3
Majority | 19  | 0.0  | −12.1
Turnout | 54,626  | 81.9  | +2.6
Registered electors | 66,672  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1980s

[edit]

1989 Vale of Glamorgan by-election[28] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | John Smith | 23,342  | 48.9  | +14.2
| Conservative | Rod Richards | 17,314  | 36.3  | −10.5
| SLD | Frank Leavers  | 2,017  | 4.2  | −12.5
| Plaid Cymru | John Dixon | 1,672  | 3.5  | +1.7
| SDP | David Keith Davies  | 1,098  | 2.3  | N/A
| Green | Marilyn Wakefield  | 971  | 2.0  | N/A
| Protect the Health Service  | Christopher Tiarks  | 847  | 1.8  | N/A
| Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 266  | 0.5  | N/A
| Independent Welsh Socialist  | Eric Roberts  | 148  | 0.3  | N/A
| Corrective Party | Lindi St Claire | 39  | 0.1  | N/A
| Christian Alliance  | David Black  | 32  | 0.1  | N/A
Majority | 6,028  | 12.6  | N/A
Turnout | 47,746  | 70.7  | −8.6
Registered electors | 67,549  |  |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | −12.4  |
General election 1987: Vale of Glamorgan[29] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Raymond Gower | 24,229  | 46.8  | −1.2
| Labour | John Smith | 17,978  | 34.7  | +8.9
| SDP | David Davies  | 8,633  | 16.7  | −7.2
| Plaid Cymru | Penri Williams  | 946  | 1.8  | −0.5
Majority | 6,251  | 12.1  | −10.1
Turnout | 51,786  | 79.3  | +5.1
Registered electors | 65,310  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −5.1  |
General election 1983: Vale of Glamorgan[30] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Raymond Gower | 22,241  | 48.0  | N/A
| Labour | Michael Sharp  | 12,028  | 25.8  | N/A
| SDP | William Evans  | 11,154  | 23.9  | N/A
| Plaid Cymru | John Dixon | 1,068  | 2.3  | N/A
Majority | 10,393  | 22.2  | N/A
Turnout | 46,671  | 74.2  | N/A
Registered electors | 62,885  |  |
| Conservative win (new seat)

## See also

[edit]

* Vale of Glamorgan (Senedd constituency)
* List of parliamentary constituencies in South Glamorgan
* List of parliamentary constituencies in Wales

## Notes

[edit]

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.
3. ^ Estimate of the 2019 general election result as if the revised boundaries recommended under the 2023 boundary review were in place

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
2. ^ "'Vale of Glamorgan', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
3. ^ 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies – The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales (PDF). Boundary Commission for Wales. 28 June 2023.
4. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (28 May 2024). "General election 2024: The candidates standing in the Vale of Glamorgan". Wales Online. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
5. ^ "The County Borough of the Vale of Glamorgan (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021".
6. ^ "Election Maps". www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "V"
8. ^ "UK Parliamentary Election: Vale of Glamorgan Constituency – Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Vale of Glamorgan Council. 7 June 2024.
9. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan notional election - December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
10. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Vale of Glamorgan Council. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
11. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
12. ^ a b c d "Election-Results/General-Election-2019" (PDF). Vale of Glamorgan Council. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
13. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan Parliamentary constituency". Election 2017 Results. BBC. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
15. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan result" (PDF). Statement of Results. Vale of Glamorgan Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
16. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan Parliamentary constituency". Election 2015 Results. BBC. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
17. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
18. ^ Vale of Glamorgan Archived 29 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council – candidates – Vale of Glamorgan
19. ^ Vale of Glamorgan BBC Election – Vale of Glamorgan
20. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
21. ^ "Vale of Glamorgan parliamentary constituency – Election 2005" - via www.bbc.co.uk.
22. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. ^ "BBC NEWS > Vale of Glamorgan". Vote 2001. BBC News. 7 June 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
24. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. ^ "BBC NEWS>VOTE 2001>Results and Constituencies>Vale of Glamorgan". Vote 2001. BBC News. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
26. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
28. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1987–92 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
29. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
30. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Politics Resources (Election results from 1922 onwards)
* Electoral Calculus (Election results from 1955 onwards)
* 2017 Election House Of Commons Library 2017 Election report
* A Vision Of Britain Through Time (Constituency elector numbers)
* Vale of Glamorgan UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
* Vale of Glamorgan UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
* Vale of Glamorgan UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

* v
* t
* e

Cardiff constituencies

Current UK|

* Cardiff East
* Cardiff North
* Cardiff South and Penarth
* Cardiff West

Current Senedd|

* Cardiff Central
* Cardiff North
* Cardiff South and Penarth
* Cardiff West

Historic UK|

* Cardiff (1542–1918)
* Cardiff Central (1918–1950)
* Cardiff Central (1983–2024)
* Cardiff East (1918–1950)
* Cardiff South (1918–1950)
* Llandaff and Barry (1918–1950)
* Cardiff South East (1950–1983)
* Cardiff North West (1974–1983)

* v
* t
* e

UK Parliament constituencies in Wales (32)

Labour (27)|

* Aberafan Maesteg
* Alyn and Deeside
* Bangor Aberconwy
* Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
* Bridgend
* Caerphilly
* Cardiff East
* Cardiff North
* Cardiff South and Penarth
* Cardiff West
* Clwyd East
* Clwyd North
* Gower
* Llanelli
* Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
* Mid and South Pembrokeshire
* Monmouthshire
* Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
* Neath and Swansea East
* Newport East
* Newport West and Islwyn
* Pontypridd
* Rhondda and Ogmore
* Swansea West
* Torfaen
* Vale of Glamorgan
* Wrexham

Plaid Cymru (4)|

* Caerfyrddin
* Ceredigion Preseli
* Dwyfor Meirionnydd
* Ynys Môn

Liberal Democrats (1)|

* Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe

Authority control databases: People |

* UK Parliament

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