Ceredigion and Pembroke North (UK Parliament constituency)

Ceredigion and Pembroke North
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Preserved county Dyfed
1983–1997
Seats One
Created from Cardigan and Pembrokeshire
Replaced by Ceredigion and Preseli Pembrokeshire

Ceredigion and Pembroke North was a county constituency in southwestern Wales which elected one MP via the first past the post electoral system. It was located in the preserved county of Dyfed.

Boundaries

The constituency had the same boundaries for its entire lifetime, and consisted of Ceredigion and an area of northern Pembrokeshire around the towns of Newport and Fishguard. It was created in 1983, and abolished again at the next review of electoral boundaries in 1997.

Under proposed changes announced in September 2016, the constituency would be recreated with a somewhat larger area, and also including a small area of western Montgomeryshire.

Electoral history

The Liberals' Geraint Howells was the seat's first MP, having also held the predecessor Cardigan seat for 9 years. He was elected in both 1983 and 1987 with a comparatively low vote share compared to most other constituencies. In 1992, however, Plaid Cymru jumped from fourth to first place in one of that election's biggest upsets. Cynog Dafis was its MP thereafter, and then transferred to Ceredigion after the seat's abolition.

The area was considered to be a swing seat between Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1983 Geraint Howells Liberal
1988 Liberal Democrats
1992 Cynog Dafis Plaid Cymru

Elections

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Ceredigion and Pembroke North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Geraint Howells 19,677 41.8 +6.2
Conservative William Raw-Rees 14,038 29.8 +0.1
Labour Griffith Hughes 6,840 14.5 ―5.7
Plaid Cymru Cynog Dafis 6,072 12.9 ―1.6
Ecology Marylin Smith 431 0.9 New
Majority 5,639 12.0
Turnout 47,058 77.8
Registered electors 60,523
Liberal win (new seat)
General election 1987: Ceredigion and Pembroke North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Geraint Howells 17,683 36.6 ―5.2
Conservative Owen Williams 12,983 26.9 ―2.9
Labour John Davies 8,965 18.6 +4.1
Plaid Cymru Cynog Dafis 7,848 16.2 +3.3
Green Marylin Wakefield 821 1.7 +0.8
Majority 4,700 9.7 ―2.3
Turnout 48,300 76.5 ―1.3
Registered electors 63,141
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Ceredigion and Pembroke North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Cynog Dafis 16,020 30.3 +14.1
Liberal Democrats Geraint Howells 12,827 25.1 ―11.5
Conservative Owen Williams 12,718 24.8 ―2.1
Labour John Davies 9,637 18.8 +0.2
Majority 3,193 6.2 N/A
Turnout 51,202 77.4 +0.9
Registered electors 66,180
Plaid Cymru gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

See also