South Wales East (European Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
South Wales East was a European Parliament constituency
covering south eastern Wales
, including Gwent
and parts of Mid Glamorgan
.
Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation
in 1999, the United Kingdom
used first-past-the-post
for the European elections
in England
, Scotland
and Wales
. The European Parliament constituencies
used under that system were smaller than the later regional constituencies and only had one Member of the European Parliament
each.
When it was created in Wales in 1984, it consisted of the Westminster Parliament constituencies of Blaenau Gwent
, Caerphilly
, Cynon Valley
, Islwyn
, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
, Monmouth
, Newport East
, Newport West
, Rhondda
, and Torfaen
. The Cynon Valley moved to South Wales Central
in 1994, leaving South Wales East with Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Islwyn, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Monmouth, Newport East, Newport West and Torfaen.
The constituency replaced the similarly named South East Wales
in 1984 and became part of the much larger Wales constituency
in 1999.
European Parliament constituency
Members of the European Parliament are elected by the population of the member states of the European Union , divided into constituencies....
covering south eastern Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, including Gwent
Gwent (county)
Gwent is a preserved county and a former local government county in south-east Wales. It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and was named after the ancient Kingdom of Gwent....
and parts of Mid Glamorgan
Mid Glamorgan
Mid Glamorgan is a preserved county of Wales. From 1974 until 1996, it was also an administrative county, with a county council.Mid Glamorgan was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
.
Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in 1999, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
used first-past-the-post
Plurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
for the European elections
Elections in the European Union
Elections to the Parliament of the European Union take place every five years by universal adult suffrage. 736 MEPs are elected to the European Parliament which has been directly elected since 1979. No other body is directly elected although the Council of the European Union and European Council is...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The European Parliament constituencies
European Parliament constituency
Members of the European Parliament are elected by the population of the member states of the European Union , divided into constituencies....
used under that system were smaller than the later regional constituencies and only had one Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
each.
When it was created in Wales in 1984, it consisted of the Westminster Parliament constituencies of Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent (UK Parliament constituency)
Blaenau Gwent is a county constituency in South Wales, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
, Caerphilly
Caerphilly (UK Parliament constituency)
Caerphilly is a county constituency centred on the town of Caerphilly in South Wales. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.The constituency has always elected Labour MPs.- Boundaries...
, Cynon Valley
Cynon Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Cynon Valley is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, Islwyn
Islwyn (UK Parliament constituency)
Islwyn is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.This area, historically known for coal-mining, is a safe Labour Party seat latterly held by the former Leader of the Opposition Neil Kinnock...
, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :The main towns are Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney...
, Monmouth
Monmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Monmouth is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post of election...
, Newport East
Newport East (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport East is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
, Newport West
Newport West (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport West is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system...
, Rhondda
Rhondda (UK Parliament constituency)
Rhondda is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, and Torfaen
Torfaen (UK Parliament constituency)
Torfaen is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament , elected by the first past the post system.-Boundaries:...
. The Cynon Valley moved to South Wales Central
South Wales Central (European Parliament constituency)
South Wales Central was a European Parliament constituency covering south central Wales, including the city of Cardiff.Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
in 1994, leaving South Wales East with Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Islwyn, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Monmouth, Newport East, Newport West and Torfaen.
The constituency replaced the similarly named South East Wales
South East Wales (European Parliament constituency)
South East Wales was a European Parliament constituency covering south eastern Wales, including Gwent and parts of Mid Glamorgan.Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
in 1984 and became part of the much larger Wales constituency
Wales (European Parliament constituency)
Wales is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 4 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
in 1999.
Members of the European Parliament
| Elected | Name | Party |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Llew Smith Llew Smith Llewellyn Thomas Smith is a former Welsh Labour Party politician.Smith was Member of the European Parliament for South Wales East from 1984 to 1994, and at the 1992 general election he was elected as Member of Parliament for Blaenau Gwent. A member of the Socialist Campaign Group, he stood down... |
| 1994 | Glenys Kinnock Glenys Kinnock Glenys Elizabeth Kinnock, Baroness Kinnock and Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead is a British politician.... |