# Islwyn (UK Parliament constituency)

Islwyn (Welsh pronunciation:) was a constituency in Wales represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The area, historically known for coal-mining, had voted for Labour Party candidates since it was created effective at the 1983 general election. Islwyn's first Member of Parliament (MP) was Neil Kinnock, who represented it until he resigned from Parliament in 1995. Kinnock also served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 until 1992.
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 wards were split between Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, Caerphilly, and Newport West and Islwyn.

## Boundaries

1983–2010: The Borough of Islwyn.
2010–2024: The Caerphilly County Borough electoral divisions of Aberbargoed, Abercarn, Argoed, Blackwood, Cefn Fforest, Crosskeys, Crumlin, Maesycwmmer, Newbridge, Pengam, Penmaen, Pontllanfraith, Risca East, Risca West, and Ynysddu.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| 1983 | Neil Kinnock | Labour | Leader of the Labour Party & Leader of the Opposition 1983–1992 |
| 1995 by-election | Don Touhig | Labour Co-op | Junior Defence Minister & current Shadow Spokesperson for Defence |
| 2010 | Chris Evans | Labour Co-op | |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neil Kinnock | 23,183 | 59.4 | N/A |
| | SDP | David Johnson | 8,803 | 22.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael Bevan | 5,511 | 14.1 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | William Richards | 1,574 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,380 | 36.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,071 | 77.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,259 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
General election 1987: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neil Kinnock | 28,901 | 71.3 | +11.9 |
| | Conservative | John Twitchen | 5,954 | 14.7 | +0.6 |
| | SDP | Jacqui Gasson | 3,746 | 9.2 | −13.3 |
| | Plaid Cymru | William Richards | 1,932 | 4.8 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,947 | 56.6 | +19.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,533 | 80.4 | +2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,414 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neil Kinnock | 30,908 | 74.3 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Peter Bone | 6,180 | 14.9 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Symonds | 2,352 | 5.7 | −3.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru (Green) | Helen Mary Jones | 1,606 | 3.9 | −0.9 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 547 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,728 | 59.4 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,593 | 81.4 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 51,079 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
1995 Islwyn by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Don Touhig | 16,030 | 69.2 | −5.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Jocelyn Davies | 2,933 | 12.7 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Bushell | 2,448 | 10.6 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Robert Buckland | 913 | 3.9 | −11.0 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 506 | 2.2 | +0.8 |
| | UKIP | Hugh Hughes | 289 | 1.2 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Trevor Rees | 47 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,097 | 56.5 | −2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,166 | 45.1 | −36.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,971 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
General election 1997: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Don Touhig | 26,995 | 74.2 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Worker | 3,064 | 8.4 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | David Walters | 2,864 | 7.9 | −7.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Darren Jones | 2,272 | 6.2 | +2.3 |
| | Referendum | Susan Monaghan | 1,209 | 3.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,391 | 65.8 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,404 | 72.0 | −9.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,540 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −1.5 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Don Touhig | 19,505 | 61.5 | −12.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Etheridge | 4,196 | 13.2 | +4.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Leigh Thomas | 3,767 | 11.9 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Phillip Howells | 2,543 | 8.0 | +0.1 |
| | Independent | Paul Taylor | 1,263 | 4.0 | N/A |
| | Socialist Labour | Mary Millington | 417 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,309 | 48.3 | −17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,691 | 61.9 | −10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 51,230 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −8.7 | |
General election 2005: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Don Touhig | 19,687 | 63.8 | +2.3 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Jim Criddle | 3,947 | 12.8 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lee Dillon | 3,873 | 12.5 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Phillip Howells | 3,358 | 10.9 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,740 | 51.0 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,865 | 61.0 | −0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,095 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +0.7 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2010: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Chris Evans | 17,069 | 49.2 | −15.1 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Thomas | 4,854 | 14.0 | +3.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Steffan Lewis | 4,518 | 13.0 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ashgar Ali | 3,597 | 10.4 | −1.8 |
| | Independent | Dave Rees | 1,495 | 4.3 | N/A |
| | BNP | John Voisey | 1,320 | 3.8 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Jason Crew | 936 | 2.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Paul Taylor | 901 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,215 | 35.2 | −15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,690 | 63.3 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 54,866 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −9.1 | |
General election 2015: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Chris Evans | 17,336 | 49.0 | −0.2 |
| | UKIP | Joe Smyth | 6,932 | 19.6 | +16.9 |
| | Conservative | Laura Anne Jones | 5,366 | 15.2 | +1.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Lyn Ackerman | 3,794 | 10.7 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brendan D'Cruz | 950 | 2.7 | −7.7 |
| | Green | Peter Varley | 659 | 1.9 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Von Magpie Baron | 213 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Josh Rawcliffe | 151 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,404 | 29.4 | −5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,401 | 63.6 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,697 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | | |
General election 2017: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Chris Evans | 21,238 | 58.8 | +9.8 |
| | Conservative | Dan Thomas | 9,826 | 27.2 | +12.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Darren Jones | 2,739 | 7.6 | −3.1 |
| | UKIP | Joe Smyth | 1,605 | 4.4 | −15.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Kidner | 685 | 1.9 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,412 | 31.6 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,093 | 64.2 | +0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,256 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −1.1 | |
General election 2019: Islwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Chris Evans | 15,356 | 44.7 | −14.1 |
| | Conservative | Gavin Chambers | 9,892 | 28.8 | +1.6 |
| | Brexit Party | James Wells | 4,834 | 14.1 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | Zoe Hammond | 2,286 | 6.7 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jo Watkins | 1,313 | 3.8 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Catherine Linstrum | 669 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 145 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,464 | 15.9 | −15.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,350 | 62.0 | −2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,423 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −7.9 | |
Of the 145 rejected ballots:
* 53 were either unmarked or it was uncertain who the vote was for.
* 92 voted for more than one candidate.