|
|
"A collaborative political resource." |
Blaenau Gwent
|
|
| Parents |
> United Kingdom > Wales > Wales
|
|
| Website | |
| Established | June 09, 1983 |
| Disbanded | July 05, 2024 |
| Contributor | RP |
| Last Modified | RP May 22, 2024 09:12pm |
| Description | The seat of Aneurin Bevan and Michael Foot, Blaenau Gwent is seen as one of Labour's safest. Labour has avoided an unusually tough battle this time. The popular local Labour assembly member had been planning to stand as an independent following a row over all-women shortlists. The left-wing MP Llew Smith is retiring and Maggie Jones was picked to fight the campaign. The constituency's Labour member of the Assembly, Peter Law, was threatening to run against Ms Jones as an independent and a motion was passed by the local party to boycott the selection process and refuse to campaign during the general election. Mr Law is a popular figure locally and like his Westminster counterpart, has had his share of rows with the leadership. But just before he was due to announce he would stand, Mr Law was diagnosed with a brain tumour and withdrew from the race. Labour said that, if Mr Law had stood as an independent, he would have expelled himself from the party.That would have lost Labour's slim majority in the assembly. But on hearing Mr Law's illness had forced him to withdraw, the party said he would not be expelled. Blaenau Gwent was built on coal and steel and is a working class seat with nearly half of the jobs in manufacturing. MPs in the seat of Ebbw Vale, renamed Blaenau Gwent, have been firmly on the left with NHS founder Bevan, MP between 1929 and 1960, succeeded by Michael Foot who in turn was followed by Mr Smith in 1992. Ebbw Vale's last steelworks closed in 2002 and the area has one of the worst unemployment levels in Britain. In the 2001 census, the area recorded one of the highest numbers of people in poor health and is the cheapest place in Britain to buy a house, with an average price of £44,000.
[Link] |
 | RACES |
|
|
| Polls Close |
Description |
Takes Office |
| INFORMATION LINKS |
|
|
| PARTY REGISTRATION |
|
|
| MEDIA |
|
|
| BOOKS |
 |
|
| Title |
Purchase |
Contributor |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
