Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency)

Pontypridd ( ) is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Alex Davies-Jones of the Labour Party.

The constituency retained its name, but with substantial boundary changes, 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.

Boundaries

1918–1983

The Pontypridd constituency was created in its original form from parts of the old South Glamorganshire & East Glamorganshire constituencies as part of the Representation of the People Act 1918 (sometimes referred to as 'The Fourth Reform Act') which granted virtually all men over 21 the right to vote, extended voting rights to women over 30 years of age, & increased the number of the now abolished University constituencies. Part of this Act also effected a 'General Redistribution of Seats' on an 'equitable basis'. It originally included the old Borough of Cowbridge, the Cowbridge Rural District (which included Ystradowen, St Athan, Llantwit Major & Llandow) & the Urban District of Pontypridd plus the Rural District of Llantrisant & Llantwit Fardre. The constituency remained unchanged from this form until the boundary changes implemented in 1983.

1983–2010

Under the Third Periodic Parliamentary Boundary Review's proposals, Cowbridge Borough and the southern part of the former Cowbridge Rural District were removed and placed in the Vale of Glamorgan constituency, and additionally the communities of Llanharry, Llanharan, and Brynna (i.e. the northern part of the former Cowbridge RDC) were moved into the Ogmore constituency. However, the communities of Creigiau and Pentyrch were added to the seat at this time.

2010–2024

The Fifth Periodic Parliamentary Boundary Review for Wales placed the Cilfynydd and Glyncoch wards in the Cynon Valley (UK Parliament constituency), and the Creigiau and Pentyrch wards in the Cardiff West (UK Parliament constituency). These changes were put in place for the 2010 general election. The revised Pontypridd constituency could be split into two parts, a northern part containing the town itself, and a southern part focused on Llantrisant. In Pontypridd township itself the wards are: Town, Treforest, Rhondda (consisting of Hopkinstown, Maesycoed, Pantygraigwen, Trehafod, and Pwllgwaun), Graig, Trallwng, Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan, and Hawthorn. The southern half consisted of the following wards: Taff's Well, Beddau, Church Village, Tonteg, Llantwit Fardre, Llantrisant, Pontyclun, Talbot Green, Tonyrefail East and Tonyrefail West.

2024–present

Under the 2023 boundary review, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following wards of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, as they existed on 1 December 2020:

Abercynon; Beddau; Brynna; Church Village; Cilfynydd; Glyncoch; Graig; Hawthorn; Llanharan; Llanharry; Llantrisant Town; Llantwit Fardre; Mountain Ash East; Mountain Ash West; Penrhiwceiber; Pontypridd Town; Rhondda; Rhydfelen Central/Ilan; Talbot Green; Ton-teg; Trallwng; Treforest; Tyn-y-nant; Ynysybwl.

The constituency was extended northwards, taking a substantial part of the abolished Cynon Valley constituency comprising the wards of Abercynon, Cilfynydd, Glyncoch, Mountain Ash East, Mountain Ash West, Penrhiwceiber, and Ynysybwl. In addition, Llanharry, Llanharan, and Brynna were returned from Ogmore, which was now also abolished. To partly compensate, Taff's Well was transferred to Cardiff North; Pontyclun to Cardiff West; and Tonyrefail to the new constituency of Rhondda and Ogmore.

Following local government boundary reviews which came into effect in May 2022, the constituency now comprises the following Rhondda Cynon Taf wards from the 2024 general election:

Abercynon; Beddau and Tyn-y-nant; Brynna and Llanharan; Church Village; Cilfynydd; Glyn-coch; Graig and Pontypridd West; Hawthorn and Lower Rhydfelen; Llanharry; Llantrisant Town and Talbot Green; Llantwit Fardre; Mountain Ash; Penrhiw-ceiber; Pontyclun West (part); Pontypridd Town; Rhydfelen Central; Ton-teg; Trallwng; Treforest; Upper Rhydfelen and Glyn-taf; Ynysybwl.

Constituency profile

One can think of the constituency as being divided between a 'suburban' district in the south and communities that grew in the industrial revolution to the north; the southern area, particularly between Church Village and Llantrisant, contains much new residential and light industrial development, and benefits from good transport links due to its proximity to the M4. This section has a growing population and is an important 'dormitory' for Cardiff. The northern parts, particularly Tonyrefail and the northern end of Pontypridd town consists of large sections of 19th century housing and suffered high unemployment in the 1980s as the old industries closed. However, in recent years, economic recovery has been firm, especially considered with neighbouring constituencies to the north.

Members of Parliament

Like many seats in South Wales, Pontypridd has been held by the Labour Party for over 100 years. In all the years since the Labour Party first took the seat in the 1922 by-election, its smallest majority has been 2,785 (7.6%) by which it has held the seat over the Liberal Democrats in 2010. Generally, its majorities have been considerably higher.

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