Torfaen (UK Parliament constituency)

Not to be confused with Torfaen (Assembly constituency).

Coordinates: 51°41′46″N 3°03′47″W / 51.696°N 3.063°W

Torfaen
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Torfaen in Wales.
Preserved county Gwent
Electorate 61,806 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Cwmbran, Pontypool, Blaenavon
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of parliament Paul Peter Murphy (Labour)
Number of members One
Created from Pontypool
Overlaps
Welsh Assembly South Wales East
European Parliament constituency Wales

Torfaen is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament (MP), elected by the first past the post system.

Boundaries

The area is a Labour Party stronghold with a majority of around 9,000, with the community of New Inn the only strong Conservative area. It voted Labour even amidst the huge Conservative majorities of 1983 and 1987. The area covers the new town of Cwmbran, Pontypool and its surrounding districts and stretches as far north as Blaenavon.

Members of Parliament

The seat has been represented since 1987 by Paul Murphy of the Labour Party.

ElectionMember[2]Party
1983 Leo Abse Labour
1987 Paul Peter Murphy Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Torfaen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP Ken Beswick[3]
Green Matt Cooke[4]
Socialist Labour John Cox
Communist Mark Griffiths
Plaid Cymru Boydd Hackley-Green
Conservative Graham Smith
Labour Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds[5]
Liberal Democrat Alison Willott
General Election 2010: Torfaen[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Peter Murphy 16,847 44.8 −12.1
Conservative Jonathan H. Burns 7,541 20.0 +4.2
Liberal Democrat David P. Morgan 6,264 16.6 +0.9
Plaid Cymru Rhys G. ab Elis 2,005 5.3 −0.9
BNP Jennifer Noble 1,657 4.4 N/A
Independent Fred Wildgust 1,419 3.8 +3.8
UKIP Gareth Dunn 862 2.3 −0.9
Independent Richard J. Turner-Thomas 607 1.6 −0.5
Green Owen Clarke 438 1.2 +1.2
Majority 9,306 24.7
Turnout 37,640 61.5 +2.2
Labour hold Swing −8.2

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Torfaen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Peter Murphy 20,472 56.9 −5.2
Conservative Nick Ramsay 5,681 15.8 −0.1
Liberal Democrat Mrs. Veronica Kathleen Watkins 5,678 15.8 +4.6
Plaid Cymru Aneurin J.M. Preece 2,242 6.2 −1.5
UKIP David J. Rowlands 1,145 3.2 +1.3
Independent Richard J. Turner-Thomas 761 2.1 +2.1
Majority 14,791 41.1
Turnout 35,979 59.3 +1.6
Labour hold Swing −2.5
General Election 2001: Torfaen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Peter Murphy 21,883 62.1 −7.0
Conservative Jason Philip Evans 5,603 15.9 +3.6
Liberal Democrat Alan Masters 3,936 11.2 −1.0
Plaid Cymru Stephen Paul Smith 2,720 7.7 +5.3
UKIP Mrs. Brenda Muriel Vipass 657 1.9 N/A
Socialist Alliance Stephen Bell 443 1.3 N/A
Majority 16,280 46.2
Turnout 35,242 57.7 −14.0
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Torfaen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Peter Murphy 29,863 69.1 +5.0
Conservative Neil Quentin Gordon Parish 5,327 12.3 −8.0
Liberal Democrat Mrs. Jean E. Gray 5,249 12.1 −1.0
Referendum Party Mrs. Deborah J. Holler 1,245 2.9 N/A
Plaid Cymru Robert W. Gough 1,042 2.4 −0.2
Green Roger W. Coghill 519 1.2 N/A
Majority 24,536 56.7
Turnout 43,245 71.7
Labour hold Swing +6.5
General Election 1992: Torfaen[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Peter Murphy 30,352 64.1 +5.4
Conservative Mark C. Watkins 9,598 20.3 +1.2
Liberal Democrat Malcolm G. Hewson 6,178 13.1 −6.9
Plaid Cymru (Green) Dr. John I. Cox 1,210 2.6 +2.6
Majority 20,754 43.8 +5.1
Turnout 47,338 77.5 +1.9
Labour hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Torfaen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Peter Murphy 26,577 58.7 +11.4
Liberal Graham Robert Blackburn 9,027 19.9 −8.4
Conservative Robert Ian Neilson Gordon 8,632 19.1 −3.2
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans 577 1.2 −0.9
Green Melvin John Witherden 450 1.0 N/A
Majority 17,550 38.8
Turnout 45,263 75.6 +1.2
Labour hold Swing +9.9
General Election 1983: Torfaen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Leo Abse 20,678 47.3 N/A
Liberal Graham Robert Blackburn 12,393 28.3 N/A
Conservative P.J. Martin 9,751 22.3 N/A
Plaid Cymru Mrs. P.M.R. Cox 896 2.1 N/A
Majority 8,285 19.0 N/A
Turnout 43,718 74.4 N/A
Labour win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Beyond 20/20 WDS - Table view". 2011 Electorate Figures. StatsWales. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)
  3. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/torfaen/
  4. ↑ http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/11563245.Greens_announce_candidate_for_Torfaen/
  5. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/torfaen/
  6. ↑ BBC News Election Coverage - Torfaen
  7. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.