Pontypridd constituency can be split into two parts, an eastern part containing the town itself, and a western part focussed on Llantrisant. In Pontypridd township itself the wards are: Town, Treforest, Rhondda, Graig, Trallwng, Rhydyfelin Central & Ilan, & Hawthorn. The Western half consists of the following wards: Taffs Well, Beddau, Church Village, Tonteg, Llantwit Fardre, Llantrisant, Pontyclun, Talbot Green, Tonyrefail East and Tonyrefail West. Alternatively, 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. The Pontypridd constituency was created in its original form from parts of the old South Glamorganshire & East Glamorganshire constituencies as part of Representation of the People Act 1918 which granted virtually all men over 21the 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 & Rural district of Cowbridge & the Urban district of Pontypridd plus the Rural District of Llantrisant & Llantwit Fardre. The constituency remained unchanged from this form until the Third Periodic Parliamentary Boundary Review's proposals were implemented in 1983. This removed Cowbridge Borough and the Cowbridge Rural District placing them in the Vale of Glamorgan constituency additionally moving out the communities of Llanharry, Llanharan, and Brynna into the Ogmore constituency. However, the communities of Creigiau and Pentyrch were added to the seat at this time, only to be removed again in time for the 2010 general election. Prior to 2010 the Pontypridd Constituency also consisted of the Cilfynydd, Glyncoch, Creigiau & Pentyrch Wards. The Fifth Periodic Parliamentary Boundary Review for Wales placed Cilfynydd & Glyncoch wards in the Cynon Valley & the Creigiau & Pentyrch wards in the Cardiff West. These changes were made & in place for the 2010 United Kingdom general election.
Members of Parliament
Like many seats in South Wales, Pontypridd has been retained by the Labour party for over 97 years.
Elections
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 2010s
Of the 96 rejected ballots:
70 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
26 voted for more than one candidate.
Footnotes
In 1983 the Third Periodical Boundary Review report made major changes to the constituency, removing the Cowbridge community & placing it the new Vale of Glamorgan seat & also by removing the Llanharry & Llanharan communities to the Ogmore seat. However, the Pentyrch & Creigiau communities were added to the new seat from the old Barry seat, to give a New seat with nearly 15,000 less electors.
This was and still is the largest number of electors for the Pontypridd constituency in any of its forms.
Arthur Pearson's initial selection following a closely contested process at a selection conference at Pontyclun occurred only after several rounds of voting, and he was finally chosen against the prominent local miners' agent W. H. May on 15 January 1938.
