# Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro) was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd constituency was created with the same boundaries in 1999 (as an Assembly constituency).
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. Its wards were split between Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) and Mid and South Pembrokeshire.

## Boundaries

The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the former marginal seats of Pembroke and Carmarthen. Main population areas in the seat include the towns of Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke and Tenby. Saundersfoot and Dylan Thomas' homestead of Laugharne are also within the constituency.
The constituency included the whole of 22 Carmarthenshire communities (Abernant; Bronwydd; Carmarthen; Cilymaenllwyd; Cynwyl Elfed; Eglwyscummin; Henllanfallteg; Laugharne Township; Llanboidy; Llanddowror; Llangain; Llangynin; Llangynog; Llanpumsaint; Llansteffan; Llanwinio; Meidrim; Newchurch and Merthyr; Pendine; St Clears; Trelech; Whitland), the whole of 24 Pembrokeshire communities (Amroth; Angle; Carew; Cosheston; East Williamston; Hundleton; Jeffreyston; Kilgetty/Begelly; Lampeter Velfrey; Lamphey; Llanddewi Velfrey; Llawhaden; Manorbier; Martletwy; Narberth; Pembroke; Pembroke Dock; Penally; St Florence; St Mary Out Liberty; Saundersfoot; Stackpole and Castlemartin; Templeton; and Tenby), also the eastern part of the Pembrokeshire community of Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech.

## Profile

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire is a marginal seat between the Labour Party and the Conservatives. The Conservatives are very strong around the more rural parts of the seat along with Pembroke, whereas Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock are more inclined to the Labour Party. Plaid Cymru is traditionally stronger in West Carmarthenshire as well as the Tenby area where several local councillors represent the party.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1997 | Nick Ainger | Labour |
| 2010 | Simon Hart | Conservative |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nicholas Ainger | 20,956 | 49.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Owen Williams | 11,335 | 26.6 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | Roy Llewellyn | 5,402 | 12.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Evans | 3,516 | 8.2 | N/A |
| | Referendum | Joy Poirrier | 1,432 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,621 | 22.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,641 | 76.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,724 | | |
| | 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: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nicholas Ainger | 15,349 | 41.6 | −7.5 |
| | Conservative | Robert Wilson | 10,811 | 29.3 | +2.7 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Llyr Gruffydd | 6,893 | 18.7 | +6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Jeremy | 3,248 | 8.8 | +0.6 |
| | UKIP | Ian Phillips | 537 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Direct Customer Service Party | Nicholas Turner | 78 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,538 | 12.3 | −10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,916 | 65.3 | −11.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,518 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.1 | |
General election 2005: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nicholas Ainger | 13,953 | 36.9 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | David Morris | 12,043 | 31.8 | +2.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru | John Dixon | 5,582 | 14.7 | −4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Allen | 5,399 | 14.3 | +5.5 |
| | UKIP | Josie MacDonald | 545 | 1.4 | −0.1 |
| | Legalise Cannabis | Alexander Daszak | 237 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Nick Turner | 104 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,910 | 5.1 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,863 | 67.3 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,245 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.6 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2010: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hart | 16,649 | 41.1 | +9.8 |
| | Labour | Nicholas Ainger | 13,226 | 32.7 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Gossage | 4,890 | 12.1 | −2.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | John Dixon | 4,232 | 10.4 | −4.3 |
| | UKIP | Raymond Clarke | 1,146 | 2.8 | +1.4 |
| | Independent | Henry Langen | 364 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,423 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,507 | 70.4 | +3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,108 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +6.9 | |
General election 2015: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hart | 17,626 | 43.7 | +2.6 |
| | Labour | Delyth Evans | 11,572 | 28.7 | −4.0 |
| | UKIP | John Atkinson | 4,698 | 11.6 | +8.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Elwyn Williams | 4,201 | 10.4 | ±0.0 |
| | Green | Gary Tapley | 1,290 | 3.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Selwyn Runnett | 963 | 2.4 | −9.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,054 | 15.0 | +6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,350 | 69.8 | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,755 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.3 | |
General election 2017: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hart | 19,771 | 46.8 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Marc Tierney | 16,661 | 39.5 | +10.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Abi Thomas | 3,933 | 9.3 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alistair Cameron | 956 | 2.3 | −0.1 |
| | UKIP | Phil Edwards | 905 | 2.1 | −9.5 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 65 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,110 | 7.3 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,226 | 72.1 | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,563 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.8 | |
Of the 65 rejected ballots:
* 44 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 14 voted for more than one candidate.
* 7 had writing or a mark by which the voter could be identified.
General election 2019: Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hart | 22,183 | 52.7 | +5.9 |
| | Labour | Marc Tierney | 14,438 | 34.3 | −5.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Rhys Thomas | 3,633 | 8.6 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alistair Cameron | 1,860 | 4.4 | +2.1 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 146 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,745 | 18.4 | +11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,114 | 71.8 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,629 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
Of the 146 rejected ballots:
* 110 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 35 voted for more than one candidate.
* 1 had writing or a mark by which the voter could be identified.