# Preseli Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Preseli Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Preseli Sir Benfro) was a seat and constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The Preseli Pembrokeshire Senedd constituency was created with the same boundaries in 1999.
Its last MP, who held the seat since 2005, was the Conservative Stephen Crabb, who was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Work and Pensions Secretary) from March to July 2016. The seat was held by Labour's candidate from its creation in 1997 until 2005. The Labour and Conservative parties have won at least 27.7% of the vote apiece since its 1997 creation, with the next-placed parties having reached a maximum of 14.5% of the vote to date in a generally broad field.
The seat attracted five candidates in 2010, eight in 2015 (an election in which five of the deposits were refunded and three lost) and seven in 2017. At the 2017 election, Crabb's majority was the 27th closest out of the 650 Commons seats, 0.8% or 314 votes. In 2019, there were four candidates; Crabb retained the seat with an increased majority.
The constituency was abolished as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the 2024 United Kingdom general election. Its wards were split between Ceredigion Preseli and Mid and South Pembrokeshire.

## Constituency profile

The seat was predominantly rural with both Welsh and English speaking areas. Milford Haven has a significant port and oil industry, and tourism is also a key sector due to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The seat was less affluent than the UK average.

## Boundaries

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the seats of Ceredigion and Pembroke North and Pembroke. It comprises the north and west coasts of Pembrokeshire and areas inland, including the Preseli Hills in the north of the county. It was the most westerly constituency in Wales. Much of the coastal area was in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
On its creation in 1997, its boundaries were co-terminous with the then District of Preseli Pembrokeshire. Since the 2006 boundary review of Welsh parliamentary constituencies, which took effect at the 2010 general election, it consists of the Pembrokeshire County electoral divisions of: Burton; Camrose; Cilgerran; Clydau; Crymych; Dinas Cross; Fishguard North East; Fishguard North West; Goodwick; Haverfordwest Castle; Haverfordwest Garth; Haverfordwest Portfield; Haverfordwest Prendergast; Haverfordwest Priory; Johnston; Letterston; Llangwm; Llanrhian; Maenclochog; Merlin's Bridge; Milford Central; Milford East; Milford Hakin; Milford Hubberston; Milford North; Milford West; Newport; Neyland East; Neyland West; Rudbaxton; St David's; St Dogmaels; St Ishmael's; Scleddau; Solva; The Havens; and Wiston.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Candidate | Party |
| 1997 | Jackie Lawrence | Labour |
| 2005 | Stephen Crabb | Conservative |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jackie Lawrence | 20,477 | 48.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robert Buckland | 11,741 | 27.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Clarke | 5,527 | 13.0 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | Alun Jones | 2,683 | 6.3 | N/A |
| | Referendum | David Berry | 1,574 | 3.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Molly Scott Cato | 401 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,736 | 20.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,403 | 78.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,150 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jackie Lawrence | 15,206 | 41.3 | −7.0 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Crabb | 12,260 | 33.3 | +5.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Rhys Sinnett | 4,658 | 12.7 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexander Dauncey | 3,882 | 10.6 | −2.4 |
| | Socialist Labour | Patricia Bowen | 452 | 1.2 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Hugh Jones | 319 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,946 | 8.0 | −12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,777 | 67.8 | −10.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,283 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.3 | |
General election 2005: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Crabb | 14,106 | 36.6 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Sue Hayman | 13,499 | 35.0 | −6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dewi Smith | 4,963 | 12.9 | +2.3 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Matt Mathias | 4,752 | 12.3 | −0.4 |
| | UKIP | James Carver | 498 | 1.3 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Molly Scott Cato | 494 | 1.3 | N/A |
| | Socialist Labour | Patricia Bowen | 275 | 0.7 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 607 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,587 | 69.5 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,502 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.8 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2010: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Crabb | 16,994 | 42.8 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | Mari Rees | 12,339 | 31.2 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Tregoning | 5,759 | 14.5 | +1.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Henry Jones-Davies | 3,654 | 9.2 | −3.3 |
| | UKIP | Richard Lawson | 906 | 2.3 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,605 | 11.6 | +10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,602 | 69.0 | −1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,400 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
General election 2015: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Crabb | 16,383 | 40.4 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | Paul Miller | 11,414 | 28.1 | −3.1 |
| | UKIP | Howard Lillyman | 4,257 | 10.5 | +8.2 |
| | Independent | Chris Overton | 3,729 | 9.2 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | John Osmond | 2,518 | 6.2 | −3.0 |
| | Green | Frances Bryant | 1,452 | 3.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Tregoning | 780 | 1.9 | −12.6 |
| | The New Society of Worth | Rodney Maile | 23 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,969 | 12.3 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,556 | 70.7 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,291 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3 | |
General election 2017: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Crabb | 18,302 | 43.4 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Philippa Thompson | 17,988 | 42.6 | +14.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Owain Llŷr Williams | 2,711 | 6.4 | +0.2 |
| | Independent | Chris Overton | 1,209 | 2.9 | −6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Kilmister | 1,106 | 2.6 | +0.7 |
| | UKIP | Susan Bale | 850 | 2.0 | −8.5 |
| | The New Society of Worth | Rodney Maile | 31 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 | 0.8 | −11.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,197 | 72.1 | +1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,555 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.7 | |
General election 2019: Preseli Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Crabb | 21,381 | 50.4 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | Philippa Thompson | 16,319 | 38.5 | −4.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Cris Tomos | 2,776 | 6.5 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Hughes | 1,943 | 4.6 | +2.0 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 153 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,062 | 11.9 | +11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,419 | 71.2 | −0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,586 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6 | |
Of the 153 rejected ballots:
* 119 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 34 voted for more than one candidate.