Latest headlines
- Labour win 29 seats - but fall short of a majority
- UKIP wins its first seats in the Assembly
- Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood ousts Labour in Rhondda
- Mapping the election - see party vote share by constituency across Wales
Scoreboard
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Net percentage change in seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party LAB Welsh Labour | CandidatesAlun Davies | Votes8,442 | 39.7% | Net percentage change in seats−24.3 |
| Party PC Plaid Cymru | CandidatesNigel Copner | Votes7,792 | 36.6% | Net percentage change in seats+31.2 |
| Party UKIP UKIP Wales | CandidatesKevin Boucher | Votes3,423 | 16.1% | Net percentage change in seats+16.1 |
| Party CON Welsh Conservative | CandidatesTracey West | Votes1,334 | 6.3% | Net percentage change in seats+1.0 |
| Party LD Welsh Liberal Democrat | CandidatesBrendan D'Cruz | Votes300 | 1.4% | Net percentage change in seats−0.4 |
Change compared with 2011 | ||||
Turnout and Majority
Welsh Labour Majority
650Turnout
42.1%Constituency Profile
At the upper end of the Gwent valleys, Blaenau Gwent is based around the towns of Ebbw Vale, Tredegar and Abertillery.
With the closure of the Ebbw Vale steelworks in 2002, the area has suffered from problems associated with post-industrial areas, although there are ambitious plans to regenerate the region with a new £300m racing circuit. Nearly one in four of the population (23%) live in an area defined as the most deprived in Wales - the Wales average is one in ten. 30% of primary school pupils here are entitled to free school meals compared to 20% across Wales.Traditionally a Labour stronghold, a row over all-women shortlists saw it being held by the former Labour AM Peter Law as an independent, and on his death, by his wife Trish Law in 2007.
At the 2011 Assembly elections, Labour's Alun Davies won back the seat with 64% of the vote. An independent candidate came second with 18%, Plaid Cymru third with 5%, just ahead of the Conservatives who also had 5%.
