# Caerfyrddin (UK Parliament constituency)

Caerfyrddin (Welsh:), also known as Carmarthen, is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament, first contested at the 2024 general election, following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies. It is currently represented by Ann Davies of Plaid Cymru.
In the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the name is given as Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen). Of the twenty-five Welsh constituencies with names in both English and Welsh, Caerfyrddin is the only one where the Welsh name comes first followed by the English name in brackets (in each of the other cases, the opposite is true). Caerfyrddin is the form used by the UK Parliament.
A similar constituency existed between 1918 and 1997 under the name Carmarthen.

## Boundaries

Under the 2023 review, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following wards of the County of Carmarthenshire, as they existed on 1 December 2020:
* Abergwili; Ammanford; Betws; Carmarthen Town North; Carmarthen Town South; Carmarthen Town West; Cenarth; Cilycwm; Cynwyl Elfed; Cynwyl Gaeo; Garnant; Glanamman; Laugharne Township; Llanboidy; Llanddarog; Llandeilo; Llandovery; Llandybie; Llanegwad; Llanfihangel Aberbythych; Llanfihangel-ar-Arth; Llangadog; Llangeler; Llangunnor; Llansteffan; Llanybydder; Manordeilo and Salem; Penygroes; Pontamman; Quarter Bach; St. Clears; Saron; Trelech; and Whitland.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2022, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the County of Carmarthenshire from the 2024 general election:
* Abergwili; Ammanford; Betws; Carmarthen Town North and South; Carmarthen Town West; Cenarth and Llangeler; Cilycwm; Cwarter Bach; Cynwyl Elfed; Garnant; Glanamman; Laugharne Township; Llanboidy; Llanddarog; Llandeilo; Llandovery; Llandybie; Llanegwad; Llanfihangel Aberbythych; Llanfihangel-ar-Arth; Llangadog; Llangunnor; Llanybydder; Manordeilo and Salem; Penygroes; Saron; St. Clears and Llansteffan; Trelech; and Whitland.

## History

The Parliamentary Borough of Carmarthen (made up of Carmarthen town and Llanelli) existed from 1542 to 1832 alongside the Parliamentary County of Carmarthenshire, each returning one member. Under the Great Reform Act of 1832, the Borough was expanded to include both Carmarthen town and Llanelli (known as the Carmarthen Boroughs), and the representation of the county was increased to two members. In 1885, Carmarthenshire was split into the two county constituencies of East Carmarthenshire and West Carmarthenshire with one member each.
In 1918, the borough constituency was abolished (as well as East and West Carmarthenshire), but the name Carmarthen was transferred to one of the divisions of the county of Carmarthenshire. The new constituency was made up of the whole of the county of Carmarthenshire except for the new Llanelli constituency (the urban area around Llanelli). Notable towns were Carmarthen itself, Ammanford and Llandeilo.
In 1997, the Boundary Commission for Wales recommended an extra seat for Dyfed. This led to the seat being split two to one between Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire.
The constituency was re-established as Caerfyrddin as part of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies and under the June 2023 final proposals of the Boundary Commission for Wales for the 2024 United Kingdom general election.

### Political history

Because the seat contained mining areas in the valley of the River Gwendraeth (until the 1980s), much countryside and a high proportion of Welsh speakers, it was fertile territory for the Labour Party, the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru alike. Although the Conservatives never won the seat, they came within 1200 votes of doing so in 1983.
Carmarthen is notable as the first constituency to elect a Plaid Cymru MP, Gwynfor Evans, at a 1966 by-election. Evans was later involved in one of the closest General Election results ever in February 1974, when he lost to the Labour candidate by only three votes. The constituency also shot to fame in the following election in October 1974 as the only seat in the country to see its turnout rise on that of February 1974.

## Members of Parliament
### 1918–1997: county constituency

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | John Hinds | Coalition Liberal |
| 1923 | Sir Ellis Ellis-Griffith | Liberal |
| 1924 by-election | Alfred Mond | Liberal |
| 1926 | Alfred Mond | Conservative |
| 1928 by-election | William Nathaniel Jones | Liberal |
| 1929 | Daniel Hopkin | Labour |
| 1931 | Richard Thomas Evans | Liberal |
| 1935 | Daniel Hopkin | Labour |
| 1941 by-election | Moelwyn Hughes | Labour |
| 1945 | Rhys Hopkin Morris | Liberal |
| 1957 by-election | Megan Lloyd George | Labour |
| 1966 by-election | Gwynfor Evans | Plaid Cymru |
| 1970 | Gwynoro Jones | Labour |
| Oct. 1974 | Gwynfor Evans | Plaid Cymru |
| 1979 | Roger Thomas | Labour |
| 1987 | Alan Williams | Labour |
| 1997 | constituency abolished: see Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire | constituency abolished: see Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire |

### MPs since 2024

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire prior to 2024.
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 2024 | Ann Davies | Plaid Cymru |

## Elections
### Elections in the 20th century
#### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Carmarthen Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | John Hinds | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

#### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | John Hinds | 12,530 | 41.9 | N/A |
| | Unionist | George Coventry | 8,805 | 29.4 | N/A |
| | National Farmers' Union | David Johns | 4,775 | 15.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Hubert Llewelyn-Williams | 3,847 | 12.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,725 | 12.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,957 | 82.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,213 | | |
| | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal |
General election 1923: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ellis Ellis-Griffith | 12,988 | 45.1 | +32.3 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Stephens | 8,677 | 30.1 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | Rowland Williams | 7,132 | 24.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,311 | 15.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,797 | 78.3 | −4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,779 | | |
| | Liberal gain from National Liberal | Liberal gain from National Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
1924 Carmarthen by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alfred Mond | 12,760 | 44.0 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Edward Teilo Owen | 8,351 | 28.8 | +4.0 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Stephens | 7,896 | 27.2 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,409 | 15.2 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,007 | 78.9 | +0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,779 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6 | |
General election 1924: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alfred Mond | 17,281 | 68.5 | +23.4 |
| | Labour | Edward Teilo Owen | 7,953 | 31.5 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,328 | 37.0 | +22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,234 | 67.9 | −10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,155 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +8.4 | |
1928 Carmarthen by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 10,201 | 35.5 | −33.0 |
| | Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 10,154 | 35.4 | +3.9 |
| | Unionist | Courtenay Mansel | 8,361 | 29.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 47 | 0.1 | −36.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,716 | 76.6 | +8.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,482 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −18.5 | |
General election 1929: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 15,130 | 38.2 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal | William Nathaniel Jones | 14,477 | 36.6 | −31.9 |
| | Unionist | John Coventry | 9,961 | 25.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 653 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,568 | 85.8 | +17.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,110 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +19.3 | |

#### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Evans | 15,532 | 39.5 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 14,318 | 36.5 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Delme William Campbell Davies-Evans | 9,434 | 24.0 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,214 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,284 | 84.5 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,507 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Daniel Hopkin | 18,146 | 47.5 | +11.0 |
| | Liberal | Richard Evans | 12,911 | 33.8 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | Edward Kellett | 7,177 | 18.8 | −5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,235 | 13.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,234 | 79.3 | −5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,217 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

#### Elections in the 1940s

1941 Carmarthen by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Moelwyn Hughes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
General election 1945: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 19,783 | 51.7 | +17.9 |
| | Labour | Moelwyn Hughes | 18,504 | 48.3 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,279 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,286 | 76.1 | −3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,462 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | | |

#### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Carmarthen: :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 24,472 | 50.2 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | Lynn Ungoed-Thomas | 24,285 | 49.8 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 187 | 0.4 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,759 | 83.4 | +7.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,444 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 25,632 | 50.5 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | David Owen | 25,165 | 49.5 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 467 | 1.0 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,0795 | 86.5 | +3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,709 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Rhys Hopkin Morris | 24,410 | 49.5 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Jack Evans | 21,077 | 42.7 | −6.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Jennie Eirian Davies | 3,835 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,333 | 6.8 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,320 | 85.1 | −1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,956 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
1957 Carmarthen by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 23,679 | 47.3 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal | John Morgan Davies | 20,610 | 41.2 | −8.3 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Jennie Eirian Davies | 5,741 | 11.5 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,069 | 6.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,726 | 87.5 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,183 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.5 | |
General election 1959: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 23,399 | 47.9 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal | Alun Talfan Davies | 16,766 | 34.3 | −15.2 |
| | Conservative | JB Evans | 6,147 | 12.6 | N/A |
| | Plaid Cymru | Hywel Heulyn Roberts | 2,545 | 5.2 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,633 | 13.6 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,855 | 85.4 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,235 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 21,424 | 45.5 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal | Alun Talfan Davies | 15,210 | 32.3 | −2.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 5,495 | 11.7 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | H.E. Protheroe-Beynon | 4,996 | 10.6 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,214 | 13.3 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,122 | 84.4 | −1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,786 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Megan Lloyd George | 21,221 | 46.2 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal | D Hywel Davies | 11,988 | 26.1 | −6.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 7,416 | 16.1 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Simon James Day | 5,338 | 11.6 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,233 | 20.1 | +6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,960 | 82.6 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,407 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
1966 Carmarthen by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 16,179 | 39.0 | +22.9 |
| | Labour | Gwilym Prys-Davies | 13,743 | 33.1 | −13.1 |
| | Liberal | D Hywel Davies | 8,650 | 20.8 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | Simon James Day | 2,934 | 7.2 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,436 | 5.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,506 | 74.9 | −7.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,407 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | +12.0 | |

#### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 18,719 | 38.0 | −8.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 14,812 | 30.1 | +14.0 |
| | Liberal | Huw Thomas | 10,707 | 21.7 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Lloyd Harvard Davies | 4,975 | 10.1 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,907 | 7.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,214 | 83.5 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,616 | | |
| | Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 17,165 | 34.3 | −3.7 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 17,162 | 34.3 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal | David Roderick Owen-Jones | 9,698 | 19.4 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative | Bill Newton Dunn | 6,037 | 12.1 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 0.01 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,062 | 83.5 | 0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,963 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 23,325 | 45.1 | +11.8 |
| | Labour | Gwynoro Jones | 19,685 | 38.1 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal | David Roderick Owen-Jones | 5,393 | 10.4 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | Robert Hayward | 2,962 | 5.7 | −6.4 |
| | British Candidate | Edward .B Jones | 342 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,640 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,704 | 85.6 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 60,402 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1979: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roger Thomas | 18,667 | 35.9 | −2.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 16,689 | 32.0 | −13.1 |
| | Conservative | Nigel M. Thomas | 12,272 | 23.6 | +17.9 |
| | Liberal | Clem Thomas | 4,186 | 8.0 | −2.4 |
| | National Front | Charlie Grice | 149 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | New Britain | EJ Clarke | 126 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,978 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,086 | 84.4 | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,714 | | |
| | Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing | | |

#### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roger Thomas | 16,459 | 31.6 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | Nigel M. Thomas | 15,305 | 29.4 | +5.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Evans | 14,099 | 27.1 | −4.9 |
| | Alliance | Joan Colin | 5,737 | 11.0 | +3.0 |
| | Ecology | Brian Kingzett | 374 | 0.7 | N/A |
| | BNP | Charlie Grice | 154 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,154 | 2.2 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,126 | 82.1 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 63,468 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Williams | 19,128 | 35.4 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Rod Richards | 14,811 | 27.4 | −2.0 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Hywel Teifi Edwards | 12,457 | 23.0 | −4.1 |
| | SDP | Gwynoro Jones | 7,203 | 13.3 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Graham Oubridge | 481 | 0.9 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,317 | 8.0 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,080 | 82.9 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 65,252 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Carmarthen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Williams | 20,879 | 36.6 | +1.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Rhodri Glyn Thomas | 17,957 | 31.5 | +8.5 |
| | Conservative | Stephen J. Cavenagh | 12,782 | 22.4 | −5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Juliana M.J. Hughes | 5,353 | 9.4 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,922 | 5.1 | −2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,971 | 82.7 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,887 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.6 | |

### Elections in the 21st century
#### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Caerfyrddin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Ann Davies | 15,520 | 34.0 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Martha O'Neil | 10,985 | 24.1 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Simon Hart | 8,825 | 19.4 | −19.8 |
| | Reform UK | Bernard Holton | 6,944 | 15.2 | +11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Beckett | 1,461 | 3.2 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Will Beasley | 1,371 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | Women's Equality | Nancy Cole | 282 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | Workers Party | David Mark Evans | 216 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,535 | 9.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,604 | 61.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,003 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru win (new seat) | Plaid Cymru win (new seat) | Plaid Cymru win (new seat) | Plaid Cymru win (new seat) | Plaid Cymru win (new seat) |