# Aberavon (UK Parliament constituency)

Aberavon (Welsh: Aberafan) was a constituency in Wales in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was represented from 1922 until 2024 by the Welsh Labour Party. It included the town of Aberavon, although the largest town in the constituency was Port Talbot.
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 general election. Its area was split between Aberafan Maesteg and Neath and Swansea East.

## History

The constituency was created for the 1918 general election by the dividing of the Swansea District. With the exception of the first term, it has always been held by the Labour Party. Ramsay MacDonald, who became Labour's first Prime Minister in 1924, held the seat from 1922 to 1929. Its final MP, Stephen Kinnock, is the son of Neil Kinnock, who was Labour leader and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1992.
It was one of the most consistently safe seats for Labour; since the end of the Second World War, the Labour candidate had always won Aberavon with a majority at least 33%, and with the exception of 2015, the Labour candidate has also always won an overall majority of the vote in the seat. In 2015, Kinnock only won 48.9% of the vote in Aberavon, against a surge in the vote for the UKIP candidate; however, in 2017, Kinnock's vote share rose by 19.2 percentage points, the biggest increase in the Labour vote in the seat's history, and his majority increased to 50.4%, the highest for an Aberavon MP since 2001. The 2017 result also made Aberavon the safest Labour seat in Wales, however the seat saw a significant swing against Labour in 2019.

## Boundaries

1918–1950: The Borough of Aberavon, the Urban Districts of Briton Ferry, Glencorwg, Margam, and Porthcawl and part of the Rural Districts of Neath and Penybont.
1950–1983: The Borough of Port Talbot, the Urban Districts of Glyncorrwg and Porthcawl, and part of the Rural District of Penybont.
1983–1997: The Borough of Afan, and the Borough of Neath wards nos. 3 and 6.
1997–2010: The Borough of Port Talbot; and the Borough of Neath wards of Briton Ferry East, Briton Ferry West, Coedffranc Central, Coedffranc North, and Coedffranc West.
2010–2024: The Neath Port Talbot County Borough electoral divisions of Aberavon, Baglan, Briton Ferry East, Briton Ferry West, Bryn and Cwmavon, Coedffranc Central, Coedffranc North, Coedffranc West, Cymmer, Glyncorrwg, Gwynfi, Margam, Port Talbot, Sandfields East, Sandfields West, and Tai-bach.
The constituency was in South Wales, situated on the right bank of the River Afan, near its mouth in Swansea Bay.
Commenting on the 1983 boundary changes to the constituency when moving the 2000 Loyal Address of the Blair Government in Parliament, the seat's then-MP Sir John Morris, who would retire at the 2001 general election, said:
   "It is a happy tradition on this occasion to refer to one's constituency and to the people who sent one here....Whatever may occur in future, I would deplore the loss of the Member-constituency link. When, after 23 years, I lost part of my constituency, I missed the friendship of two generations. My constituents and I had grown up and grown older together."

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Jack Edwards | Coalition Liberal |
| 1922 | Rt Hon. Ramsay MacDonald | Labour |
| 1929 | William Cove | Labour |
| 1959 | Sir John Morris | Labour |
| 2001 | Hywel Francis | Labour |
| 2015 | Stephen Kinnock | Labour |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1910s

1918 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | National Liberal | Jack Edwards | 13,635 | 62.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Robert Williams | 7,758 | 35.7 | N/A |
| | NFDDSS | T G Jones | 324 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,877 | 27.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,697 | 71.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 30,415 | | |
| | National Liberal win (new seat) | National Liberal win (new seat) | National Liberal win (new seat) | National Liberal win (new seat) | National Liberal win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
* Jones withdrew in favour of Edwards on 13 December 1918.

### Elections in the 1920s

1922 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ramsay MacDonald | 14,318 | 46.6 | +10.9 |
| | Unionist | Sidney Hutchinson Byass | 11,111 | 36.1 | N/A |
| | National Liberal | Jack Edwards | 5,238 | 17.3 | −45.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,207 | 10.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,667 | 88.6 | +17.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 34,716 | | |
| | Labour gain from National Liberal | Labour gain from National Liberal | Swing | +28.2 | |
1923 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ramsay MacDonald | 17,439 | 55.6 | +9.0 |
| | Unionist | Sidney Hutchinson Byass | 13,927 | 44.4 | +8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,512 | 11.2 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,366 | 87.2 | −1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 39,750 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.3 | |
1924 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ramsay MacDonald | 17,724 | 53.1 | −2.5 |
| | Liberal | William Henry Williams | 15,624 | 46.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,100 | 6.2 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,348 | 89.6 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,200 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
1929 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | 22,194 | 55.9 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | William Henry Williams | 13,155 | 33.2 | −13.7 |
| | Unionist | Francis Bertram Reece | 4,330 | 10.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,039 | 22.7 | +16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,679 | 87.0 | −2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 45,613 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.2 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

1931 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | 23,029 | 58.4 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal | Edward Curran | 16,378 | 41.6 | +8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,651 | 16.9 | −5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,407 | 84.4 | −2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,689 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.0 | |
1935 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,729 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Elections in the 1940s

1945 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | 31,286 | 72.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | David Llewellyn | 11,860 | 27.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,426 | 45.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,146 | 79.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,323 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1950s

1950 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | 29,278 | 68.7 | −3.8 |
| | National Liberal | Auberon Herbert | 8,091 | 19.0 | −8.5 |
| | Liberal | Maldwyn Thomas | 5,263 | 12.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,187 | 49.7 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,634 | 85.8 | +6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,667 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
1951 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | 30,498 | 72.0 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative | John Loveridge | 11,878 | 28.0 | +9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,620 | 44.0 | −5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,376 | 84.6 | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,071 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
1955 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Cove | 29,003 | 69.5 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Howe | 12,706 | 30.5 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,297 | 39.0 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,709 | 79.3 | −5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,616 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.4 | |
1959 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 30,397 | 65.8 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Howe | 12,759 | 27.6 | −2.9 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Illtyd M. Lewis | 3,066 | 6.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,638 | 38.2 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,222 | 82.1 | +2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,316 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.5 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

1964 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 33,103 | 72.2 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | John Stradling Thomas | 9,424 | 20.5 | −7.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Glyn John | 2,118 | 4.6 | −2.0 |
| | Communist | Julian Tudor Hart | 1,260 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,679 | 51.7 | +13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,905 | 80.8 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,777 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.7 | |
1966 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 33,763 | 75.5 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative | Robert Hicks | 9,369 | 20.9 | +0.4 |
| | Communist | Julian Tudor Hart | 1,620 | 3.6 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,394 | 54.6 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,146 | 78.3 | −2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,179 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

1970 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 31,314 | 67.0 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative | Ian Grist | 10,419 | 22.3 | +1.4 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Graham Farmer | 3,912 | 8.4 | N/A |
| | Communist | Julian Tudor Hart | 1,102 | 2.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,895 | 44.7 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,747 | 74.8 | −3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,516 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
February 1974 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 31,656 | 65.2 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | Peter Hubbard-Miles | 10,968 | 22.6 | +0.3 |
| | Plaid Cymru | D G Foster | 5,898 | 12.2 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,688 | 42.6 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,522 | 75.6 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,162 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.0 | |
October 1974 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 29,683 | 62.8 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative | Nigel K Hammond | 7,931 | 16.8 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal | Sheila M. Cutts | 5,178 | 11.0 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | Geraint Thomas | 4,032 | 8.5 | −3.7 |
| | Workers Revolutionary | J Bevan | 427 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,752 | 46.0 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,251 | 73.1 | −2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,667 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |
1979 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 31,665 | 61.7 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | F McCarthy | 12,692 | 24.7 | +7.9 |
| | Liberal | Sheila M. Cutts | 4,624 | 9.0 | −2.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Geraint Thomas | 1,954 | 3.8 | −4.7 |
| | Communist | G Rowden | 406 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,973 | 37.0 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,179 | 79.2 | +6.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,864 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1980s

1983 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 23,745 | 58.8 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal | Sheila M. Cutts | 8,206 | 20.3 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | George Bailey | 6,605 | 16.3 | −8.4 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Glenn Phillips | 1,859 | 4.6 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,539 | 38.5 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,415 | 75.6 | −3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 53,443 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
1987 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 27,126 | 66.8 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal | Marilyn Harris | 6,517 | 16.0 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | Paul Warwick | 5,861 | 14.4 | −1.9 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Anne Howells | 1,124 | 2.8 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,609 | 50.8 | +12.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,628 | 77.7 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,280 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.1 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

1992 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 26,877 | 67.1 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Hywel Williams | 5,567 | 13.9 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marilyn Harris | 4,999 | 12.5 | −3.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru | David W. J. Saunders | 1,919 | 4.8 | +2.0 |
| | Real Bean | Captain Beany | 707 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,310 | 53.2 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,069 | 77.6 | −0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 51,650 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
1997 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Morris | 25,650 | 71.3 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald McConville | 4,079 | 11.3 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Peter Harper | 2,835 | 7.9 | −6.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Philip Cockwell | 2,088 | 5.8 | +1.0 |
| | Referendum | Peter David | 970 | 2.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Captain Beany | 341 | 1.0 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,571 | 60.0 | +9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,963 | 71.9 | −5.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,031 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.6 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

2001 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hywel Francis | 19,063 | 63.1 | −8.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Lisa Turnbull | 2,955 | 9.8 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Davies | 2,933 | 9.7 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | Ali Miraj | 2,296 | 7.6 | −0.3 |
| | Independent | Andrew Tutton | 1,960 | 6.5 | N/A |
| | New Millennium Bean | Captain Beany | 727 | 2.4 | +1.4 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Martin Chapman | 256 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,108 | 53.3 | −6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,190 | 61.0 | −10.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,524 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −6.1 | |
2005 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hywel Francis | 18,077 | 60.0 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Waller | 4,140 | 13.8 | +4.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Philip Evans | 3,545 | 11.8 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Annunziata Rees-Mogg | 3,064 | 10.2 | +2.6 |
| | Veritas | Jim Wright | 768 | 2.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Miranda La Vey | 510 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,937 | 46.2 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,104 | 58.9 | −1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,685 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.6 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2010 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hywel Francis | 16,073 | 51.9 | −8.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Davies | 5,034 | 16.3 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Caroline Jones | 4,411 | 14.2 | +4.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Paul Nicholls-Jones | 2,198 | 7.1 | −4.7 |
| | BNP | Kevin Edwards | 1,276 | 4.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Andrew Tutton | 919 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | New Millennium Bean Party | Captain Beany | 558 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Joe Callan | 489 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 44 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,039 | 35.7 | −10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,958 | 61.0 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,838 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.3 | |
Of the 44 rejected ballots:
* 29 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 14 voted for more than one candidate.
* 1 had writing or mark by which the voter could be identified.
2015 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Kinnock | 15,416 | 48.9 | −3.0 |
| | UKIP | Peter Bush | 4,971 | 15.8 | +14.2 |
| | Conservative | Edward Yi He | 3,742 | 11.9 | −2.3 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Duncan Higgitt | 3,663 | 11.6 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Ceri-Clarke | 1,397 | 4.4 | −11.9 |
| | Independent | Captain Beany | 1,137 | 3.6 | +1.8 |
| | Green | Jonathan Tier | 711 | 2.3 | N/A |
| | Socialist Labour | Andrew Jordan | 352 | 1.1 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Owen Herbert | 134 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 57 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,445 | 33.1 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,523 | 63.3 | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,821 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −8.6 | |
Of the 57 rejected ballots:
* 37 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 20 voted for more than one candidate.
2017 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Kinnock | 22,662 | 68.1 | +19.2 |
| | Conservative | Sadie Vidal | 5,901 | 17.7 | +5.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Andrew Bennison | 2,761 | 8.3 | −3.3 |
| | UKIP | Caroline Jones | 1,345 | 4.0 | −11.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Cen Phillips | 599 | 1.8 | −2.6 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 57 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,761 | 50.4 | +17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,268 | 66.7 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49,892 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.7 | |
Of the 57 rejected ballots:
* 41 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 16 voted for more than one candidate.
2019 general election: Aberavon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Kinnock | 17,008 | 53.8 | −14.3 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Lang | 6,518 | 20.6 | +2.9 |
| | Brexit Party | Glenda Davies | 3,108 | 9.8 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | Nigel Hunt | 2,711 | 8.6 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sheila Kingston-Jones | 1,072 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
| | Independent | Captain Beany | 731 | 2.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Giorgia Finney | 450 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 82 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,490 | 33.2 | −17.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,598 | 62.3 | −4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,747 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −8.6 | |
Of the 82 rejected ballots:
* 61 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 19 voted for more than one candidate.
* 2 had writing or mark by which the voter could be identified.