Preserved county South Glamorgan Electorate 67,194 (December 2010) European Parliament constituency Wales Welsh assembly South Wales Central | Population 88,114 (2011 census) Created 1950 Number of members 1 | |
 | ||
Member of parliament Craig Williams (Conservative) | ||
Cardiff North (Welsh: Gogledd Caerdydd) is a borough constituency in the city of Cardiff. It returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.
Contents
History
This seat is the residential quarter of Wales' capital, over half of northern Cardiff consists of owner-occupied housing, with a higher number of a middle class population than other sections. Historically it has mainly elected Conservative MPs, but with new housing development Welsh Labour has over turned the nominal majority more recently, turning the seat into a national target swing-constituency. By 2004, the Conservatives held a majority of councillors within the district (13, against five Liberal Democrats, three independents and no Labour), but in the following 2005 general election Welsh Labour's Julie Morgan retained the seat but with a reduced majority.
BBC News political editor Nick Robinson profiled the constituency as part of the BBC's build-up to the 2010 general election: saying:
Morgan stood again for Welsh Labour in 2010, whilst the Conservatives chose Jonathan Evans MEP, who had previously been the MP for Brecon and Radnor. Evans won by 194 votes.
In 2015, Labour attempted to take the seat back but new candidate, Craig Williams, took it with a surprising majority of 2,137. Many had expected it to be very close run again.
Boundaries
1950-1974: The County Borough of Cardiff wards of Cathays, Central, Gabalfa, Penylan, and Plasnewydd.
1974-1983: The County Borough of Cardiff wards of Cathays, Central, Penylan, and Plasnewydd.
1983-2010: The City of Cardiff wards of Gabalfa, Heath, Lisvane and St Mellons, Llandaff North, Llanishen, Rhiwbina, and Whitchurch and Tongwynlais.
2010–present: The Cardiff electoral divisions of Gabalfa, Heath, Lisvane, Llandaff North, Llanishen, Pontprennau and Old St Mellons, Rhiwbina, and Whitchurch and Tongwynlais.
Cardiff city centre was in this constituency from its creation in 1950 until 1983, since when it has been in Cardiff Central.
Elections in the 2010s
Going into the 2015 general election, this was the twelfth most marginal constituency in Great Britain, Labour requiring a swing from the Conservatives of 0.2% to take the seat (based on the result of the 2010 general election).
Elections in the 2000s
In the 2005 election, Julie Morgan was re-elected with a reduced majority. Catherine Taylor-Dawson of the Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket party scored the lowest result (one vote) of any constituency in this general election.