Post by loderingo on Apr 25, 2020 19:01:53 GMT
Cynon Valley (Cwm Cynon) was created in 1983 but is the successor to the old Aberdare constituency that was created in 1918. Both constituencies have elected Labour MPs continuously since 1922 and only once has Labour failed to win an outright majority of the votes (48% in 2015). Labour have also always held the equivalent Welsh Assembly seat since it was created. At the most recent council elections Labour dominated but Plaid Cymru won councillors in Hirwaun and Mountain Ash East while the new Cynon Valley Party won a councillor in Penrhiwceiber and an Independent won in Cilfynydd.
Like the other valleys' seats this constituency was based around coal mining. There was also a Phurnicite plant that produced clean coal (or as I have heard it said clean coal for the country at the expense of more pollution in the valley). At one time due to the high volume of industry there were 2 railways line going the length of the valley. Unlike mining seats in England which tended to be close to the motorway network, the Welsh Valleys are still struggling to replace the coal economy with good high paying jobs. Some locals commute to Cardiff but Cardiff doesn't have a strong enough economy to support both itself and the valleys.
The seat consists of 3 main towns. Aberdare in the north, Mountain Ash in the centre and Abercynon in the south. Aberdare is the main shopping town. Abercynon was well known for having 2 railway stations on different lines, although one has now closed. Perhaps the most famous local sons are the Stereophonics who hail from Cwmaman. Michael Ball also has links to Mountain Ash.
The former MP for 35 years was Ann Clwyd. She was well known for her vocal support of the Iraq (although not for the same reasons as Blair).
The new MP since 2019 is Beth Winter. She is likely to be the last MP for the seat in its current form. Like most Welsh seats Cynon Valley is undersized and will need to have electors added. At the aborted review Pontypridd town was going to be added to the Cynon Valley seat and I would expect something similar to happen in the forthcoming review.
Like the other valleys' seats this constituency was based around coal mining. There was also a Phurnicite plant that produced clean coal (or as I have heard it said clean coal for the country at the expense of more pollution in the valley). At one time due to the high volume of industry there were 2 railways line going the length of the valley. Unlike mining seats in England which tended to be close to the motorway network, the Welsh Valleys are still struggling to replace the coal economy with good high paying jobs. Some locals commute to Cardiff but Cardiff doesn't have a strong enough economy to support both itself and the valleys.
The seat consists of 3 main towns. Aberdare in the north, Mountain Ash in the centre and Abercynon in the south. Aberdare is the main shopping town. Abercynon was well known for having 2 railway stations on different lines, although one has now closed. Perhaps the most famous local sons are the Stereophonics who hail from Cwmaman. Michael Ball also has links to Mountain Ash.
The former MP for 35 years was Ann Clwyd. She was well known for her vocal support of the Iraq (although not for the same reasons as Blair).
The new MP since 2019 is Beth Winter. She is likely to be the last MP for the seat in its current form. Like most Welsh seats Cynon Valley is undersized and will need to have electors added. At the aborted review Pontypridd town was going to be added to the Cynon Valley seat and I would expect something similar to happen in the forthcoming review.
