COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 18.09.25

Five seats were all being defended by the left on Thursday - four of which were Labour.  Labour managed to lose three of those four seats - one each to the Greens, Reform and an independent.  The one seat they held was by the narrowest of margins - just 13 votes ahead of the Lib Dems.

Reform picked up yet another seat in the red wall of south Wales, a key battleground as they look to emerge as the largest party in next May's Senedd elections.  Labour finished a humiliating third place in that Cardiff election.  Equally humiliating was a defeat in one of their London strongholds.  They were unseated by a Newham Independent on debut, who received more than double the Labour vote.  Newham is a council Labour have controlled since 1971 and held 58 of 66 seats.

The Greens capped off their Brighton gain from Labour with an easy hold in Warwick.

Queen's Park, Brighton and Hove City Council

Grn: 1,133 (48.4%) +19.9%

Lab: 729 (31.1%) -15.0%

Ref: 237 (10.1%) New

LDm: 98 (4.2%) +1.7%

Con: 82 (3.5%) -2.7%

Ind: 64 (2.7%) New

Grn GAIN from Lab

Trowbridge, Cardiff City Council

Ref: 1,142 (39.6%) New

LDm: 681 (23.6%) +15.9%

Lab: 615 (21.3%) -31.2%

Pld: 223 (7.7%) -3.5%

Con: 90 (3.1%) -14.8%

Grn: 67 (2.3%) -8.2%

Ppl: 63 (2.2%) -4.5%

Ref GAIN from Lab

Plaistow South, Newham London Borough Council

Ind: 913 (44.7%) New

Lab: 436 (21.4%) -34.0%

Ref: 328 (16.1%) New

Grn: 152 (7.4%) -8.4%

Con: 123 (6.0%) -11.5%

LDm: 90 (4.4%) -6.9%

Ind GAIN from Lab

Kenilworth Park Hill, Warwick District Council

Grn: 1,006 (40.3%) -7.2%

Con: 588 (23.6%) -4.0%

Ref: 447 (18.1%) New

LDm: 344 (13.9%) +2.2%

Lab: 81 (3.3%) -9.5%

Grn HOLD

Leamington Clarendon, Warwick District Council

Lab: 574 (30.3%) -21.4%

LDm: 561 (29.6%) +14.7%

Ref: 309 (16.3%) New

Grn: 240 (12.7%) -2.1%

Con: 140 (7.4 %) -9.2%

Ind: 72 (3.8%) New

Lab HOLD

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Lab = Labour

Ref = Reform UK

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Pld = Plaid Cymu

Ppl = Propel

Ind = Independent

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 14.08.25

Before we get to next week's impressive nine by-elections, we continue the quiet period with just a brace of vacancies this week.  Both seats were being defended by Labour in prime leftist territory, which is why this week's glory went to the Greens and not Reform.

Having previously stood a joint candidate with Plaid in the Cardiff seat, the Greens went it alone this time and soared past Labour into first place.  In Newcastle-upon-Tyne the usual challengers in the seat were the Lib Dems and they would have fancied their chances here.  However, it was the Greens who took full advantage of Labour's slump as they and the Lib Dems pushed Labour into a humiliating third place with less than half the vote.

In both seats the Labour vote share plunged by around 25 per cent.

Grangetown, Cardiff City Council

Grn: 818 (24.0%) +5.5%

Lab: 774 (22.7%) -24.8%

Pld: 639 (18.7%) +0.2%

Ref: 495 (14.5%) New

Ppl: 327 (9.6%) +0.1%

Ind: 156 (4.6%) -2.1%

Con: 139 (4.1%) -8.4%

LDm: 63 (1.8%) -2.1%

Grn GAIN from Lab

South Jesmond, Newcastle City Council

Grn: 578 (36.4%) +15.2%

LDm: 523 (33.0%) +7.3%

Lab: 267 (16.8%) -25.3%

Ref: 173 (10.9%) New

Con: 45 (2.8%) -5.7%

Grn GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Lab = Labour

Pld = Plaid Cymru

Ref = Reform UK

Ppl = Propel

Con = Conservative

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Ind = Independents

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 24.07.25

Seven seats were up for grabs this week, with Labour defending just the one (Cardiff), which they held despite losing more than a fifth of their vote.  Reform are the new challengers in that ward, surging into second place from scratch.

The Labour vote was down in all six of the seats the party contested and they finished a humiliating last place in two of them.

Reform gained a seat from the Tories in South London, but the Conservatives faired better elsewhere.  They managed to hold off challenges from Reform newcomers in three seats, while they nominally gained a seat from the Greens in Rutland.  The Greens failed to field a candidate in the latter, providing a free-for-all for the remaining parties.

Bromley Common & Holwood, Bromley London Borough Council

Ref: 1,342 (34.0%) New

Con: 1,161 (29.4%) -11.8%

Lab: 720 (18.2%) -10.4%

LDm: 540 (13.7%) -2.2%

Grn: 185 (4.7%) -9.7%

Ref GAIN from Con

Llanrumney, Cardiff Council

Lab: 755 (39.4%) -20.5%

Ref: 630 (32.9%) New

LDm: 281 (14.7%) +9.3%

Pld: 138 (7.2%) New

Con: 64 (3.3%) -14.2%

Grn: 47 (2.5%) New

Lab HOLD

Berkhamsted West, Dacorum Borough Council

LDm: 643 (56.4%) -2.0%

Con: 357 (31.3%) -8.5%

Grn: 99 (8.7%) -0.4%

Lab: 41 (3.6%) -6.1%

LDm HOLD

Swanage, Dorset Council

Con: 1,254 (35.4%) -0.4%

Ref: 748 (20.8%) New

LDm: 737 (20.8%) +12.8%

Ind: 415 (11.7%) -7.7%

Lab: 400 (11.3%) -19.4%

Con HOLD

Borehamwood Brookmeadow, Hertsmere Borough Council

Con: 478 (29.6%) -18.7%

Ref: 394 (24.4%) New

Ind: 339 (21.0%) New

Lab: 295 (18.3%) -33.5%

LDm: 47 (2.9%) New

Grn: 37 (2.3%) New

Ind: 26 (1.6%) New

Con HOLD

Alrewas & Fradley, Lichfield District Council

Con: 690 (42.4%) -1.1%

Ref: 439 (27.0%) New

Lab: 314 (19.3%) -17.9%

LDm: 185 (11.4%) -7.9%

Con HOLD

Barleythorpe, Rutland County Council

Con: 209 (35.9%) +10.3%

LDm: 136 (23.4%) New

Ref: 123 (21.1%) New

Ind: 114 (19.6%) New

Con GAIN from Grn

Abbreviation

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Grn = Green

Pld = Plaid Cymru

Ind = Independents

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 05.12.24

In this week's round of by-elections there were mixed results for Labour, with an overall net loss of one seat.  They defended a safe seat in Cardiff, albeit their vote share plummeted by more than 30 points.  They lost a seat in Berkshire to the Conservatives and also a seat to the SNP in Stirling.  However, they also gained a seat from the SNP in Glasgow.

Splott, Cardiff City Council

Lab: 717 (34.4%) -31.1%

Grn: 362 (17.3%) +3.6%

Ppl: 305 (14.6%) +11.2%

LDm: 292 (14.0%) +8.6%

Ref: 271 (13.0%) New

Pld: 88 (4.2%) New

Con: 60 (2.9%) -5.9%

Lab HOLD

Kilgrimol, Fylde Borough Council

Con: 340 (46.1%) +9.4%

Ref: 204 (27.6%) New

LDm: 108 (14.6%) New

Lab: 86 (11.7%) -11.6%

Con GAIN from Ind

Partick East/Kelvindale, Glasgow City Council

(First preference votes)

Lab: 1,723 (37.5%) +5.3%

SNP: 1,062 (23.1%) -5.2%

Grn: 837 (18.2%) -2.7%

Con: 632 (13.8%) +0.4%

LDm: 339 (7.4%) +3.6%

Lab GAIN from SNP (elected stage 4)

Cholsey, South Oxfordshire District Council

LDm: 949 (62.2%) +16.1%

Con: 362 (23.7%) +0.9%

SDP: 116 (7.6%) +2.3%

Lab: 71 (4.7%) New

Ind: 28 (1.8%) New

LDm HOLD

Stirling East, Stirling Council

(First preference votes)

SNP: 650 (34.6%) +2.9%

Lab: 480 (25.5%) +2.2%

Ref: 265 (14.1%) New

Con: 230 (12.2%) -11.1%

Ind: 106 (5.6%) -2.9%

Grn: 95 (5.1%) +0.4%

LDm: 55 (2.9%) +0.4%

SNP GAIN from Lab (elected stage 7)

Shinfield, Wokingham Borough Council

Con: 765 (49.0%) +10.4%

Lab: 387 (24.8%) -18.9%

LDm: 336 (21.5%) +3.8%

Grn: 73 (4.7%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

Ppl = Propel

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Ref = Reform UK

Pld = Plaid Cymru

Con = Conservative

SNP = Scottish National Party

Ind = Independents

THE COPY AND PASTE PARTY

Following the latest Israeli atrocity in Gaza and looking to retain Muslim votes, many Labour MPs are finally getting around to condemning Israel's war crimes.  On Twitter, sorry 'X', three MPs posted identical tweets, while a fourth tweaked the same tweet.  All four tagged Keir Starmer and delivered the same message, led by backbencher Wayne David, who is retiring after 23 years as the MP for Caerphilly.  David posted his tweet at 12:14.

Nine minutes later, Angela Rayner's account posted the exact same message.  47 minutes after that, her frontbench colleague Lisa Nandy posted a very similar tweet tweet, having clearly just copied, pasted and edited a few details.  Some hours later a third frontbencher - Jo Stevens - posted the original unedited version.

We can't help but think of Rachel Reeves in this instance.  She has already earned a nickname before she completes a single day as Chancellor of the Exchequer.  She will be known as the 'copy and paste Chancellor', in reference to the rampant plagiarism found in her economics book published last year.

The scenes in Rafah are truly horrific and merit something more from an opposition front bench than a mere copy and paste job.

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 11.11.21

Seven by-elections this week with eight seats up for grabs.  Four of the vacancies came about due to the resignation of independent councillors.  Labour gained one of these in Cardiff, while the Tories almost had a clean sweep in North Kesteven.  Three Lincolnshire independents resigned simultaneously, including two in Metheringham where there was drama in the battle for the second seat.  The Conservatives took first place, but tied for second with an independent.  Lots were drawn and the independent won, robbing the Tories of a clean sweep.

Elsewhere, Plaid held a seat they had previously won unopposed and the Greens held in Thanet.  Labour held in Lancaster, which is no great surprise as this ward included the university.  The Conservatives held in Melton, Leicestershire, despite the nature of the vacancy.  The incumbent Tory had been struck off after having failed to attend a single council meeting.

There is little evidence from these results to suggest the Tories are taking a hit from the ongoing sleaze row.

Heath, Cardiff City Council

Lab: 1,729 (47.1%) +16.1%

Con: 1,128 (30.8%) +2.5%

LDem: 561 (15.3%) +11.5%

Plaid: 250 (6.8%) +0.5%

Lab GAIN from Ind

Llandrillo, Denbighshire County Council

Plaid: 179 (44.0%)

Ind: 140 (34.4%)

Con: 80 (21.6%)

Plaid HOLD (previously elected unopposed)

University & Scotforth Rural, Lancaster City Council

Lab: 216 (46.1%) +5.0%

Grn: 193 (41.2%) +11.0%

Con: 44 (9.4%) -7.2%

LDem: 16 (3.4%) -8.8%

Lab HOLD

Melton Dorian, Melton Borough Council

Con: 362 (56.0%) +3.9%

Lab: 284 (44.0%) New

Con HOLD

Metheringham, North Kesteven District Council

(two seats)

Con: 424 (23.7%)

Ind: 404 (22.6%)

Con: 404 (22.6%)

Ind: 369 (20.6%)

Lab: 85 (4.7%)

Lab: 69 (3.8%)

LDem: 29 (1.6%)

Con GAIN from Ind (one seat)

Ind HOLD (one seat after lots drawn)

Sleaford Castle, North Kesteven District Council

Con: 135 (42.2%) +10.2%

Lab: 93 (29.1%) -2.9%

Ind: 49 (15.3%) New

Ind: 22 (6.9%) New

LDem: 21 (6.6%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Thanet Villages, Thanet District Council

Grn: 638 (60.0%) +36.8%

Con: 358 (33.7%) +8.9%

LDem: 67 (6.3%) -15.7%

Grn HOLD

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

Grn = Green

Ind = Independents

VAX PASS EXTENSION IN WALES

Senedd members have voted to expand the use of vaccine passports in Wales to include theatres, cinemas and concert halls.  The vote passed easily by 39 votes to 15, with Plaid Cymru backing Labour.  The sole Liberal Demcrat MS voted against as did all but one of the Conservatives.  It is not clear which Tory failed to register a vote this time.  In the previous Senedd vote on vaccine passports, Tory MS Gareth Davies infamously gifted Labour victory.

During Tuesday's debate it was argued by Tory MS Janet Finch-Saunders that vax passes would discriminate against the poorest in society, to which a Labour MS responded with a disgusting, sneering remark.  Jenny Rathbone, who represents Cardiff Central, said that people on low incomes could not afford to go to sports matches anyway, 'so let's get real on this one' she added.  Rathbone couldn't contain her amusement at the remark, watch below.

A protest was held outside the Senedd as members debated the passport extension.  Alan Miller, co-founder of the Together declaration, spoke to Tory MS James Evans outside.  Watch below.

Mark Drakeford has threatened to expand the passport scheme to all hospitality sectors if infection rates in Wales don't come down.  That would mean people would have to present their papers in order to go into a pub, restaurant or cafe.  Infection rates are already falling in Wales, but Drakeford has not rescinded his threat.

In a sick twist Tuesday's passport debate was followed by another on forthcoming Remembrance events in Wales.  Remind us again Mr Drakeford what it is that our ancestors fought for?

STEVENS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

Labour's Jo Stevens has been released from hospital after her battle with coronavirus.  The MP for Cardiff Central spent around five days in hospital, her team tweeting two days ago that her condition was 'improving'.  Stevens thanked staff in a tweet (see below), although curiously there was no mention of the NHS in her tweet.  This may suggest that she was treated privately (oh, the irony).

Stevens is the third Labour MP to have been hospitalised by coronavirus during the pandemic.  Both Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) and Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) made full recoveries.  It is not clear how lockdown enthusiast Stevens caught the virus, but she managed to record a proxy vote in favour of the England lockdown yesterday - despite the fact she represents a Welsh seat!

CARDIFF MP STRUCK DOWN BY COVID

Labour frontbencher Jo Stevens was admitted to hospital over the weekend suffering from coronavirus.  Her staff issued a statement via social media on Saturday night confirming the news, two days after posting that she had been 'laid low with Covid for a while'.  No further details have been released since, so it's not clear how this ultra lockdown enthusiast came to catch the virus.  Was she not practising as she so regularly preaches?

In any case, at the age of 54 and with no apparent underlying health conditions, the odds are stacked overwhelmingly in her favour to make a full recovery.  She is the third Labour MP to have been hospitalised by the virus during the course of the pandemic.  Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) and Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) both made full recoveries.

PICTON STATUE TO FALL

Sir Thomas Picton

The statue of British hero Sir Thomas Picton is to be removed from Cardiff City Hall following a vote at last night's Cardiff City Council meeting.  Councillors voted overwhelmingly by 57-5 to remove the statue at the behest of Cardiff's Labour mayor Dan De'Ath.  The move was backed by all the Labour councillors present, plus Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems.  Six of the 21 Tory councillors also backed the motion, while nine abstained and five opposed the motion.  The full vote can be seen below.

Picton was a native of Pembrokeshire and enlisted in the British Army as a teenager in 1773.  He went on to have a long and decorated career that ended at the Battle of Waterloo where, as lieutenant-general, he was the most senior British officer killed.  Picton was shot whilst leading a bayonet charge against the advancing French.

However, Picton also a profited from slavery and was alleged to have executed several slaves during his time as the governor of Trinidad.  He was later arrested and charged in relation to his activities in the West Indies, but his conviction was later overturned.

Cardiff City Council wasted no time in acting on the vote and boxed in the statue on Friday morning.  The hideous plywood box will remain in place until the planning stages are complete and the statue can be physically removed.  The mayor was there to oversee the work on Friday morning.  It's not clear at present how much the stunt cost, but it has emboldened BLM supporters in now moving on to other targets across Wales.

Cardiff's Labour mayor oversees the work

Picton's name can be seen on road names, pubs and memorials not just in Wales, but across the Commonwealth.  Target number one for BLM activists is the Picton monument in Carmarthen and they stand a good chance of having that torn down or renamed because the local council is run by the left-wing Plaid Cymru who masquerade as 'nationalists' but are nothing of the sort.  

It remains to be seen whether the Picton name will totally disappear from Wales in the same way the Colston name is being totally erased from Bristol.

Cardiff City Hall's Picton statue boxed in

It's interesting to note that the leader of Cardiff City Council - Cllr Huw Thomas - celebrated the Picton vote by speaking out against racism and talking up the city's "proud history of multiculturalism" and "tradition of celebrating diversity".  This is the same Huw Thomas that in 2006 referred to people flying England flags in Wales as 'chavs and simpletons'.  He even espoused criminal damage to cars carrying England flags.  So much for 'celebrating diversity' eh Huw?

IN FOCUS: CARDIFF

The capital city of Wales is the eleventh largest city in the UK.  The Welsh name for Cardiff is Caerdydd, although only one in five residents can speak the language.  Despite being surrounded by one of Labour's most famous heartlands - the Valleys - Labour have rarely held all four Parliamentary seats over the years.  In 2017 they captured Cardiff North from the Conservatives and for the first time in 12 years the city turned completely red.  The city is split into these same divisions for elections to the Welsh Assembly (the Senedd) and all four seats are also currently held by Labour.  The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, represents Cardiff West in the Senedd.

Population (2017 est):  364,248

City & County Council:  Labour, since 2012
Composition:  Labour (38 cllrs), Conservative (21), Lib Dem (11), Ind (5)
Ethnic make-up (2011):  white 84.7%, Asian 8.0%, mixed 2.9%, black 2.4, other 2.0%
EU referendum:  60% Remain
Largest Parliamentary majority:  Cardiff Central (Jo Stevens, Lab) majority 17,196
Smallest Parliamentary majority:  Cardiff North (Anna McMorrin, Lab) majority 4,174

Cardiff is the seat of devolved power in Wales, despite voting decisively to reject devolution in the 1997 referendum.  The city returned a 56% no vote, but the national result meant devolution was carried by the slimmest of margins - 0.6%.  Labour became the biggest party in Cardiff's unwanted assembly following the first elections to it in 1999.  The party has been in government ever since, albeit never with a majority, governing by coalition or minority.  Following the last elections in 2016 Labour has been in government with the Liberal Democrats (for the second time).  Labour was also in a coalition with Plaid Cymru between 2007 and 2011.

The four assembly members for Cardiff are as follows:

Cardiff Central - Jenny Rathbone (Lab)
Cardiff North - Julie Morgan (Lab)
Cardiff South & Penarth - Vaughan Gething (Lab)
Cardiff West - Mark Drakeford (Lab), First Minister of Wales

For local government the city is administered by the City and County of Cardiff Council.  A bit of a mouthful it is usually referred to as merely Cardiff Council.  This replaced the former city council authority in 1995.  Labour has been the dominant power over the years, regaining full control in 2012 following the collapse of the Lib Dem vote.  The Lib Dems ran a minority administration between 2004 and 2008, prior to forming a coalition with Plaid Cymru.  The last time the Tories were in control here was in 1987.

Cardiff returned a significant Remain vote in 2016 and all four of its MPs are ardent Remainers.  When MPs voted on triggering Article 50 in 2017 the three Labour MPs at that time all voted against.  The Conservative MP for Cardiff North, Craig Williams, voted in favour.  In the 2016 leadership challenge to Jeremy Corbyn all the Cardiff Labour MPs supported Owen Smith.

Please note the following constituency details relate to Westminster seats.

Cardiff Central

Incumbent:  Jo Stevens (Lab), majority 17,196

Born:  Swansea, 1966

First elected:  2015

Leave/Remain:  Remain, voted against triggering Article 50

Notes:  A solicitor and ardent Remainer.  Endorsed Owen Smith in the 2016 leadership challenge.

Cardiff Central has been held by Labour since 2015, before which it was held by the Liberal Democrats since 2005.

EU referendum:  68% Remain, strongest Remain vote in Cardiff

General election 2017

Jo Stevens (Lab) 25,193 (62.4%) +22.4%
Gregory Stafford (Con) 7,997 (19.8%) +5.1%
Eluned Parrott (Lib Dem) 5,415 (13.4%) -13.7%
Mark Hooper (Plaid) 999 (2.5%) -2.5%
Benjamin Smith (Green) 420 (1.0%) -5.3%
Mohammed Sarul-Islam (UKIP) 343 (0.8%) -5.6%

General election candidates 2019

Jo Stevens (Lab)

Meirion Jenkins (Con)

Bablin Molik (Lib Dem)

Gareth Pearce (Brexit)

Brian Johnson (Socialist)

Siân Caiach (Gwlad)
Akil Kata (Ind)

Note:  This is a Remain Alliance seat where Plaid Cymru and the Green Party have stood aside to give the Liberal Democrats a free run.

BTLP general election prediction:  Lab HOLD

Cardiff North

Incumbent:  Anna McMorrin (Lab), majority 4,174
Born:  1971
First elected:  2017
Leave/Remain:  Remain
Notes:  Ardent Remainer.  She claims to have grown up near Brecon, but for some unknown reason her birthplace is a closely guarded secret.

Cardiff North has been held by Labour since 2017, before which it was Conservative.  The seat has been held by the Tories for most of its 69 year history, during which it has returned just three Labour MPs.

EU referendum:  61% Remain

General election 2017

Anna McMorrin (Lab) 26,081 (50.1%) +11.9%
Craig Williams (Con) 21,907 (42.1%) -0.3%
Steffan Webb (Plaid) 1,738 (3.3%) -1.2%
Matt Hemsley (Lib Dem) 1,714 (3.3%) -0.5%
Gary Oldfield (UKIP) 582 (1.1%) -6.6%

General election candidates 2019

Anna McMorrin (Lab)
Mo Ali (Con)
Steffan Webb (Plaid)

Rhys Taylor (Lib Dem)
Chris Butler (Brexit)
Michael Cope (Green)
Richard Jones (Ind)

BTLP general election prediction:  Lab HOLD

Cardiff South & Penarth

Incumbent:  Stephen Doughty (Lab), majority 14,864
Born:  Cardiff, 1980
First elected:  2012 (by-election)
Leave/Remain:  Remain, voted against triggering Article 50
Notes:  One of Labour's most ardent Parliamentary Remainers.  Endorsed Owen Smith in the 2016 leadership contest.

Cardiff South & Penarth has been held by Labour since its creation in 1983

EU referendum:  57% Remain

General election 2017

Stephen Doughty (Lab) 30,182 (59.5%) +16.7%
Bill Rees (Con) 15,318 (30.2%) +3.4%
Ian Titherington (Plaid) 2,162 (4.3%) -3.1%
Emma Sands (Lib Dem) 1,430 (2.8%) -2.1%
Andrew Bevan (UKIP) 942 (1.9%) -11.9%
Anthony Slaughter (Green) 532 (1.0%) -2.7%
Jebediah Hedges (Pirate) 170 (0.3%) New

General election candidates 2019

Stephen Doughty (Lab)
Phillippa Broom (Con)

Nasir Adam (Plaid)
Dan Schmeising (Lib Dem)
Green Ken Barker (Green)
Tim Price (Brexit)

BTLP general election prediction:  Lab HOLD

Cardiff West

Incumbent:  Kevin Brennan (Lab), majority 12,551
Born:  Cwmbran, 1959
First elected:  2001
Leave/Remain:  Remain, voted against triggering Article 50
Notes:  A member of both the Blair and Brown governments.  Another ardent Remainer and backer of Owen Smith in the 2016 leadership election.
Scandals:  Tiegate, Expenses scandal

Cardiff West has been held by Labour since 1987, before which it was briefly held by the Conservatives for one Parliamentary term

EU referendum:  56% Remain

General election 2017

Kevin Brennan (Lab) 26,425 (56.7%) +16.0%
Matt Smith (Con) 13,874 (29.8%) +4.6%
Michael Deem (Plaid) 4,418 (9.5%) -4.4%
Alex Meredith (Lib Dem) 1,214 (2.6%) -2.1%
Richard Lewis (UKIP) 698 (1.5%) -9.7%

General election candidates 2019

Kevin Brennan (Lab)
Carolyn Webster (Con)
Boyd Clack (Plaid)
Callum Littlemore (Lib Dem)

Nick Mullins (Brexit)
David Griffin (Green)

BTLP general election prediction:  Lab HOLD

NEXT WEEK:  Southampton

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