Latest headlines
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Labour win 29 seats - but fall short of a majority
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UKIP wins its first seats in the Assembly
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Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood ousts Labour in Rhondda
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Mapping the election - see party vote share by constituency across Wales
Scoreboard
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Net percentage change in seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Party
LAB Welsh Labour |
Candidates Dawn Bowden | Votes 9,763 | 47.2% | Net percentage change in seats −7.1 |
|
Party
UKIP UKIP Wales |
Candidates David Rowlands | Votes 4,277 | 20.7% | Net percentage change in seats +20.7 |
|
Party
PC Plaid Cymru |
Candidates Brian Thomas | Votes 3,721 | 18.0% | Net percentage change in seats +9.2 |
|
Party
CON Welsh Conservative |
Candidates Elizabeth Simon | Votes 1,331 | 6.4% | Net percentage change in seats +0.1 |
|
Party
LD Welsh Liberal Democrat |
Candidates Bob Griffin | Votes 1,122 | 5.4% | Net percentage change in seats −7.4 |
|
Party
GRN Wales Green Party |
Candidates Julie Colbran | Votes 469 | 2.3% | Net percentage change in seats +2.3 |
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Change compared with 2011 |
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Turnout and Majority
Welsh Labour Majority
5,486Turnout
38.5%Constituency Profile
The constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney has a rich history as one of the birth places of the industrial revolution but has struggled economically in modern times.
The average house prices in the constituency are among the lowest in Wales at £100,000 - the Welsh average is £158,000. The mean gross weekly earnings figure for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney is £499 - the fourth lowest in Wales. The all Wales figure is £551. Around 600 staff are employed in the Welsh Government office based in the constituency. The main town is Merthyr Tydfil which has a population of around 60,000. Labour has held the seat in the National Assembly since 1999 with Huw Lewis winning the seat four times in that period - with an increased majority of over 7,000 in the 2011 Assembly election. Mr Lewis is standing down at this election.
In 2011 Labour won 54.3% of the vote, ahead of an Independent candidate (17.8%), Liberal Democrats (12.8%), Plaid Cymru (8.8%) and Conservatives (6.3%).