Elections in Wales
Encyclopedia
Wales
has elections to four tiers of government: 22 unitary local authorities
, the National Assembly for Wales
, the United Kingdom Parliament and the European Parliament
.
, Newport
and Swansea
councils which all lie on the southern coastal belt.
Local election results 2004
Local election results 1999
Local election results 1995
has existed since 1999, after the Welsh voters narrowly approved it in the 1997 devolution referendum. It is based in Cardiff Bay
, and there are elections every 4 years for 60 Assembly Members (AMs). Voters have 2 votes with 40 AMs being elected by First Past The Post system in individual constituencies, and a further 20 AMs are elected by the Regional Top-Up system in which voters have an extra vote for a specific region that they reside in. The regions are South Wales East, South Wales Central, South Wales West, Mid and West Wales and North Wales. Each region elects four AMs based on the proportionality of the vote.
. Between then and 1885, most constituencies were divided into county and borough constituencies and were both able to send one MP to Westminster. As the industrial revolution took hold and calls for reform (particularly in towns such as Methyr Tydfil), Parliament eventually allowed the new towns to vote and this introduced the first Labour MPs. Indeed the first leader of the Labour Party in Parliament, Keir Hardie, was one of the two MPs for Merthyr Tydfil. The following table shows the composition of Wales's MPs sent to Westminster since 1885.
in European Parliament
elections.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
has elections to four tiers of government: 22 unitary local authorities
Subdivisions of Wales
For local government purposes, Wales is divided into 22 single-tier principal areas, which are responsible for the provision of all local government services, including education, social work, environment and roads services...
, the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
, the United Kingdom Parliament and the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Local government
There are elections to 22 unitary authorities across Wales every four years, most recently on 1 May 2008. The electoral system currently used is First Past The Post. Key unitary authorities are CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
and Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
councils which all lie on the southern coastal belt.
Local election results 2004
United Kingdom local elections, 2004
The United Kingdom local elections of 2004 were held on 10 June, as part of the 2004 set of elections along with the European elections and the London mayoral and Assembly elections.-About the elections:...
Local election results 1999
Local election results 1995
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for WalesNational Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
has existed since 1999, after the Welsh voters narrowly approved it in the 1997 devolution referendum. It is based in Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
, and there are elections every 4 years for 60 Assembly Members (AMs). Voters have 2 votes with 40 AMs being elected by First Past The Post system in individual constituencies, and a further 20 AMs are elected by the Regional Top-Up system in which voters have an extra vote for a specific region that they reside in. The regions are South Wales East, South Wales Central, South Wales West, Mid and West Wales and North Wales. Each region elects four AMs based on the proportionality of the vote.
UK Parliament
Wales has been eligible to send MPs to Westminster since the Laws in Wales Act 1535Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542
The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 were parliamentary measures by which the legal system of Wales was annexed to England and the norms of English administration introduced. The intention was to create a single state and a single legal jurisdiction; frequently referred to as England and Wales...
. Between then and 1885, most constituencies were divided into county and borough constituencies and were both able to send one MP to Westminster. As the industrial revolution took hold and calls for reform (particularly in towns such as Methyr Tydfil), Parliament eventually allowed the new towns to vote and this introduced the first Labour MPs. Indeed the first leader of the Labour Party in Parliament, Keir Hardie, was one of the two MPs for Merthyr Tydfil. The following table shows the composition of Wales's MPs sent to Westminster since 1885.
| Party Year |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Liberal Democrat/ Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966... |
Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
Liberal Unionist | Independent Labour | others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | 4 | - | 29 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 1886 | 6 | - | 26 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1892 | 3 | - | 30 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1895 | 8 | - | 24 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
1900 | 6 | 1 | 26 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
1906 | - | 1 | 28 | - | - | - | 1 | - |
January 1910 | 2 | 5 | 27 | - | - | - | - | - |
December 1910 | 3 | 6 | 26 | - | - | - | 1 | - |
1918 | 4 | 10 | 19 | - | - | - | - | 20 |
1922 | 6 | 18 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 9 |
1923 | 4 | 19 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
1924 | 9 | 16 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - |
1929 | 1 | 25 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - |
1931 | 6 | 15 | 5 | - | - | - | 1 | 9 |
1935 | 6 | 18 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 4 |
1945 | 3 | 25 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1950 | 3 | 27 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1951 | 5 | 27 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1955 | 5 | 27 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1959 | 6 | 27 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
1964 | 6 | 28 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
1966 | 3 | 32 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
1970 | 7 | 27 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - |
February 1974 | 8 | 24 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
October 1974 | 8 | 23 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
1979 | 11 | 22 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
1983 | 14 | 20 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
1987 | 8 | 24 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | 1 |
1992 | 6 | 27 | 1 | 4 | - | - | - | - |
1997 | - | 34 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - |
2001 | - | 34 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | 1 |
2005 | 3 | 29 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 1 | - |
2010 | 8 | 26 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 0 | - |
European Parliament
Wales is a constituencyWales (European Parliament constituency)
Wales is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 4 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
in European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
elections.
See also
- Elections in the United KingdomElections in the United KingdomThere are five types of elections in the United Kingdom: United Kingdom general elections, elections to devolved parliaments and assemblies, elections to the European Parliament, local elections and mayoral elections. Elections are held on Election Day, which is conventionally a Thursday...
- Elections in ScotlandElections in ScotlandScotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, the European Parliament, local councils and community councils.-Scottish Parliament:...