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National Assembly for Wales election, 2007

National Assembly for Wales election, 2007

The 2007 National Assembly election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament election took place. This election was preceded by the previous Assembly election in 2003.

The election saw Plaid Cymru make gains at the expense of Labour, although Labour remain the largest party in the Assembly, as they have since it began. Plaid stated they would make a referendum on devolving further powers to the National Assembly a condition for a coalition.[1] Wales reported that senior civil servants before the election were preparing for three possible coalition administrations: Labour/Liberal Democrat, Labour/Plaid Cymru or Plaid Cymru/Liberal Democrat/Conservative.

Discussions between Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to form a "Rainbow" Coalition broke down, and a coalition was eventually agreed between Labour and Plaid Cymru.

2007 National Assembly for Wales election

3 May 2007

All 60 seats to the National Assembly for Wales
31 seats needed for a majority
Turnout43.7%Increase5.5%
First partySecond party
Rhodri Morgan.jpgIeuan Wyn Jones 2011 (cropped).jpg
LeaderRhodri MorganIeuan Wyn Jones
PartyLabourPlaid Cymru
Leader's seatCardiff WestYnys Môn
Last election30 seats12 seats
Seats won2615
Seat changeDecrease4Increase3
Constituency Vote314,925219,121
% and swing32.2%Decrease7.8%22.4%Increase1.2%
Regional Vote288,954204,757
% and swing29.6%Decrease7.0%21.0%Increase1.3%

Third partyFourth party
Nick-bourne-580x358 (cropped).pngOfficial portrait of Lord German crop 2.jpg
LeaderNick BourneMichael German
PartyConservativeLiberal Democrats
Leader's seatMid and West WalesSouth Wales East
Last election11 seats6 seats
Seats won126
Seat changeIncrease1Steady
Constituency Vote218,730144,450
% and swing22.4%Increase2.5%14.8%Increase0.7%
Regional Vote209,153114,500
% and swing21.4%Increase2.3%11.7%Decrease1.0%

Welsh Assembly election map 2007.svg
The left side shows constituency winners of the election by their party colours. The right side shows regional winners of the election for the additional members by their party colours.

First Minister before election
Rhodri Morgan
Labour
Elected First Minister
Rhodri Morgan
Labour

Major parties

The Welsh Labour Party before the election had 29 seats, Plaid Cymru had 12, the Welsh Conservative Party 11, the Welsh Liberal Democrats 6, Forward Wales 1, with 1 independent (Trish Law). Mrs Law won her seat at a 2006 by-election, the seat having been won by Labour in the 2003 election. The one Forward Wales Assembly Member was elected as an independent before forming the party. Otherwise, the standings represent the 2003 results.

Electoral method

In general elections for the National Assembly for Wales, each voter has two votes in a mixed member system. The first vote may be used to vote for a candidate to become the Assembly Member for the voter's constituency, elected by the first past the post system. The second vote may be used to vote for a regional closed party list of candidates. Additional member seats are allocated from the lists by the d'Hondt method, with constituency results being taken into account in the allocation. The overall result is approximately proportional.

Pre-election forecasts

Predictions for the seat distribution were made by a number of polls before the election:

Forecast byDatesLabPlaidConLDother
Institute of Welsh Affairs[2]2007-01-1325131372
NOP/ITV[3]2007-04-0625121472
Western Mail[4]2007-04-2725151082

Electoral results

  • Overall turnout - 43.7%

Welsh Assembly election, 2007
PartiesAdditional member systemTotal seats
ConstituencyRegion
Votes%+/−Seats+/−Votes%+/−Seats+/−Total+/−%
Labour314,92532.2−7.824−6288,95429.6−7.02+226−443.3
Plaid Cymru219,12122.4+1.27+2204,75721.0+1.38+115+325.0
Conservative218,73022.4+2.55+4209,15321.5+2.37−312+120.0
Liberal Democrats144,45014.8+0.730114,50011.7−1.0306010.0
BNP42,1974.3+3.90000
UKIP18,0471.8−0.50038,4903.9+0.40000
Green33,8033.50.00000
Socialist Labour12,2091.3+0.10000
Independent29,6993.0+2.4109,3501.0N/A00101.7
Welsh Christian8,9630.9N/A0000
Communist3,7080.4+0.30000
Christian Peoples2,6940.3N/A0000
Socialist Alternative1,8650.2N/A0000
Respect1,7920.2N/A0000
English Democrat1,8670.2N/A001,6550.2N/A0000
Veritas5050.1N/A0000
Socialist Equality2920.0N/A0000
Blaenau Gwent PV3,3480.3N/A0000
Total978,13240974,8842060

(source:[5])

Votes summary

Popular Vote
Labour
29.6%
Conservative
21.5%
Plaid Cymru
21.0%
Liberal Democrats
11.7%
BNP
4.3%
UKIP
3.9%
Green
3.5%
Socialist Labour
1.2%
Other
3.2%
Parliament seats
Labour
43.3%
Plaid Cymru
25.0%
Conservative
20.0%
Liberal Democrats
10.0%
Independent
1.7%

Constituency nominations

NB: candidates in BOLD text were incumbent assembly members before the election

ConstituencyConservativeLabourLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruOthers
AberavonDaisy Meyland-SmithBrian GibbonsClaire WallerLinett Purcell
AberconwyDylan Jones-EvansDenise Idris JonesEuron HughesGareth Jones
Alyn and DeesideWill GallagherCarl SargeantPaul BrightonDafydd PasseWilliam Crawford (UKIP)
ArfonGerry FrobisherMartin EaglestoneMel Ab OwainAlun Ffred JonesElwyn Williams (UKIP)
Blaenau GwentBob HaywardKeren BenderGareth LewisNatasha AsgharTrish Law (Independent)
Brecon and RadnorshireSuzy DaviesNeil StoneKirsty WilliamsArwel Lloyd
BridgendEmma GreenowCarwyn JonesPaul WarrenNick Thomas
CaerphillyRichard FoleyJeff CuthbertHuw PriceLindsay WhittleRon Davies (Independent)[6]
Cardiff CentralAndrew MurphySue LentJenny RandersonThomas WhitfieldFrank Hughes (UKIP)
Cardiff NorthJonathan MorganSophie HoweEd BridgesWyn JonesDai Llewellyn (UKIP)
Cardiff South and PenarthKaren RobsonLorraine BarrettDominic HanniganJason Toby
Cardiff WestAlun Craig WilliamsRhodri MorganAlison GoldworthyNeil McEvoy
Carmarthen East and DinefwrHenrietta HensherKevin MadgeIan WaltonRhodri Glyn Thomas
Carmarthen West and South PembrokeshireAngela BurnsChristine GwytherJohn GossageJohn Dixon
CeredigionTrefor JonesLinda GraceJohn DaviesElin JonesDafydd Morgan (Independent)
Clwyd SouthJohn BellKaren SinclairFrank BiggsNia DaviesDavid Rowlands (UKIP)
Clwyd WestDarren MillarAlun PughSimon CroftPhil EdwardsWarwick Nicholson (UKIP)
Cynon ValleyNeil JohnChristine ChapmanMargaret PhelpsLiz Walters
DelynAntoinette SandbachSandy MewiesIan MatthewsMeg ElisDerek Bigg (UKIP)
Dwyfor MeirionnyddMike WoodDavid PhillipsSteve ChurchmanDafydd Elis-Thomas
GowerByron DaviesEdwina HartNick TregoningDarren PriceAlex Lewis (UKIP)
IslwynPaul WilliamsIrene JamesMark J MaguireAlan PritchardKevin Etheridge (Independent)
LlanelliAndrew MorganCatherine ThomasJeremy TownsendHelen Mary Jones
Merthyr Tydfil and RhymneyGiles HowardHuw LewisAmy KitcherGlyndwr Cennydd JonesClive Tovay (Independent), Jeff Edwards
MonmouthNick RamsayRichard ClarkJacqui SullivanJonathan T ClarkEd Abrams (English Democrats)
MontgomeryshireDan MunfordRachel MaycockMick BatesDavid ThomasBruce Lawson (UKIP)
NeathAndrew SilvertsenGwenda ThomasSheila WayeAlun Llewelyn
Newport EastPeter FoxJohn GriffithsEd TownsendTrefor PuwAndrew Constantine (English Democrats)[7]
Newport WestMatthew EvansRosemary ButlerNigel FlanaganBrian HancockMike Blundell (English Democrats)[7] & James Harris (Independent)
OgmoreNorma Lloyd NeslingJanice GregoryMartin PlantSian Caiach
PontypriddJanice CharlesJane DavidsonMike PowellRichard Rhys Grigg
Preseli PembrokeshirePaul DaviesTamsin DunwoodyHywel DaviesJohn Osmond
RhonddaHoward ParsonsLeighton AndrewsKaren RobertsJill Evans
Swansea EastBob DowdleValerie LloydHelen Ceri ClarkeDanny Bowles
Swansea WestHarri Lloyd DaviesAndrew DaviesPeter MayIan TitheringtonRichard Lewis (UKIP)
TorfaenGraham SmithLynne NeaglePatrick LeggeRhys ab ElisIan Williams (People's Voice)
Vale of ClwydMatt WrightAnn JonesMark YoungMark Jones
Vale of GlamorganGordon KempJane HuttMark HooperBarry ShawKevin Mahoney (UKIP)
WrexhamFelicity ElphickLesley GriffithsBruce RobertsSiôn Aled OwenJohn Marek (Independent), Peter Lewis (UKIP)
Ynys MônJames RoachJonathan AustinMandi AbrahamsIeuan Wyn JonesFrancis Wykes (UKIP), Peter Rogers (Independent)
  • Trish Law has defended the seat she won in the 2006 by-election. Then and now, she is standing as an independent, but is affiliated with the Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group.

  • Ron Davies and John Marek stood as independents, but are members of and continue to play an active role in Forward Wales. Marek is the party's leader, while Davies is their Policy Director.[8] Neither was elected on 3 May.

Regional lists[9]

Mid and West Wales

National Assembly for Wales election, 2007: Mid and West Wales
ConstituencyElected memberResult
Carmarthen East and DinefwrRhodri Glyn ThomasPlaid Cymru hold
Carmarthen West and South PembrokeshireAngela BurnsConservative gain
CeredigionElin JonesPlaid Cymru hold
Dwyfor MeirionnyddDafydd Elis-ThomasPlaid Cymru hold
LlanelliHelen Mary JonesPlaid Cymru gain
MontgomeryshireMick BatesLiberal Democrats hold
Preseli PembrokeshirePaul Davies (politician)Conservative gain
Brecon and RadnorshireKirsty WilliamsLiberal Democrats hold
British National PartyChristian Peoples AllianceCommunist Party of BritainConservative PartyGreen Party of England and WalesIndependentIndependentLabour PartyLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruSocialist Labour PartyUKIPVeritasWelsh Christian Party
Ian Si'reeJoseph Antony BiddulphRick NewnhamNick BourneLeila KierschCaroline EvansGwynoro JonesAlun DaviesCllr. Bill PowellNerys EvansAlun DaviesClive EastonIain SheldonAdam Bridgman
Chris Edwards-HarrillElaine BlakeGlyn DaviesTimothy John FosterJoyce WatsonJulianna HughesDavid SeniorLuke HumeNick PowellM. Williams
Lloyd Thomas MorganGraham MorganLisa FrancisMarilyn ElsonAlun Wyn RichardsCllr. Ken HarrisDelyth RichardsPatricia Ann BowenDennis TaylorJ. Morgan
Marie MurrayClive EliassenO. J. WilliamsJohn JenningsRhiannon StoneSelwyn RunnettMrs. Liz Saville-RobertsMaggie DaviesVirginia WhinnyatesM. Davies
Richard MinshullChris SimpsonDr. Parvaiz AliCllr. David PeterMartin Wiltshire
M.J.H. JefferiesEmma Hayes
Alexander Viol
  • RESULT: Labour - 2 seats; Plaid Cymru - 1 seat; Conservative - 1 seat

North Wales

British National PartyChristian Peoples AllianceCommunist Party of BritainConservative PartyGreen Party of England and WalesLabour PartyLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruSocialist Labour PartyUKIPWelsh Christian Party
Ennys HughesBrian ChurchillGlyn DaviesBrynle WilliamsJim KillockKen SkatesEleanor BurnhamJanet RyderBob EnglishJohn BuftonLindsay Griffiths
Dallus WeaverRhian CartwrightMark IsherwoodJoe BlakesleyDonna HuttonCllr. Tudor JonesDafydd WigleyDave RobertsNathan GillRev. Heather Butler
Simon DarbyTrevor JonesCllr. Janet Finch-SaundersMaredudd ap RheinalltCllr. Ronnie HughesBobby FeeleyDyfed EdwardsJudith SambrookElaine GillMark MacLeod
Mike HowardMike GreenPaul RogersCllr. Wilf HastingsWenna WilliamsCllr. Douglas MadgeCllr. Abdul KhanPaul LiversuchKen KhambattaJustin Davies
James DaviesCllr. Chris HughesCllr. Michael Edwards
John BroughtonAnne Williams
  • RESULT: Conservative - 2 seats; Plaid Cymru - 1 seat; LibDem - 1 seat

South Wales Central

British National PartyChristian Peoples AllianceCommunist Party of BritainConservative PartyGreen Party of England and WalesLabour PartyLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruRESPECT The Unity CoalitionSocialist AlternativeSocialist Equality PartySocialist Labour PartyUKIPWelsh Christian Party
John WalkerAnthony JeremyRobert GriffithsDavid MeldingJohn MatthewsIftakhar KhanCllr. John DixonLeanne WoodKaren TyreDave ReidChris TalbotLiz ScreenJohn PrattW. Johannsen
Laurence ReidGwen GriffithsAndrew R. T. DaviesRichard PayneCerys FurlongCllr. Gavin CoxChris FranksRowena MasonDavid O'SullivanHarry ParfittDavid BevanD. Thomson
Tim WindsorFran RawlingsVictoria GreenNigel BakerAnthony HuntAlexandra MacmillanGwenllian LansdownAndrew PriceStuart NolanIna MarsdenDr K. T. RajanD. Williams
Mark DeaconClive GriffithsRichard JohnRichard ClarkeJayne BrencherCllr. Asghar AliMohammed Sarul IslamJane JacksonPoopalasingham ThillaivarothayanRob HawkinsWilliam PotterJ. Storey
Mike Jones-PritchardAnthony MatthewsMatt GreenoughCllr. Margaret JonesAlex Gounelas
Jon BurnsElizabeth AleAndrew SherwoodJoe Fathallah
  • RESULT: Conservative - 2 seats; Plaid Cymru - 2 seats

South Wales East

British National PartyChristian Peoples AllianceCommunist Party of BritainConservative PartyEnglish DemocratsGreen Party of England and WalesIndependentLabour PartyLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruSocialist Labour PartyUKIPWelsh Christian Party
Robert James TruemanMadeleine JeremyRoy EvansWilliam GrahamSteve GashAnn WereColin HobbsCllr. Mark WhitcuttMichael GermanJocelyn DaviesJohn CoxDavid J RowlandsJeff Green
Peter GreenhalghSara JeremyAngharad HalpinLaura Anne JonesAlan EnglandAlasdair McGowenTunji FahmCllr. Veronica WatkinsMohammad AsgharSue DeareKeith MorganGeoff Waggett
Marlene JordanDan ColeDavid ChippFred BishopGerry LaytonJulie Helen RobinsonCllr. Phylip HobsonColin MannGlenn EynonRoger ThomasPeter Watkins
Christopher RobinsonDave RawlingsAndrew RobertsDavid LaneOwen ClarkeJohn Wright TurnerAlison WillottGlyn ErasmusCerian ScreenHugh Moelwyn HughesRichard Patching
Steven UnclesRhianon PassmoreCllr. David HandoJoyce Giblin
Michael RussellJean Gray
  • RESULT: Plaid Cymru - 2 seats; Conservative - 1 seat; LibDem - 1 seat

  • Mohammad Asghar was the first ethnic minority member of the Assembly for Plaid Cymru[10] but on 8 December 2009, he switched to the Conservatives[11]

  • Veronica German succeeded Mike German as the Liberal Democrat AM following his appointment to the House of Lords.

South Wales West

British National PartyChristian Peoples AllianceCommunist Party of BritainConservative PartyGreen Party of England and WalesIndependent ConservativeIndependentLabour PartyLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruRESPECT The Unity CoalitionSocialist AlternativeSocialist Labour PartyUKIPWelsh Christian Party
Clive BennettAnne SavouryDavid BrownAlun CairnsRhodri GriffithsJohn JenkinsKeith JamesHoward DaviesPeter BlackBethan JenkinsPaul LynchRoss SaundersJacob BowenTim JenkinsDavid Griffiths
Nick GriffinMick CartyChris SmartBrig OubridgeCllr. Alana DaviesCllr. Jackie RadfordDavid LloydAhmed Al-JefferyAlec ThravesMartha Page-HarriesMike SquiresAnthony Kelly
John CooperSian O'BrienGerald RowbottomJane RichmondCllr. Leighton VealeFrank LittleLisa TurnbullRon JobMiriam ScaleDenise RobinsonKatherine Bridgman
Jennifer KingRob UprichardKenneth WattsJonathan SpinkCllr. Erika KirchnerCllr. Mike DayCarolyn EdwardsLianne FrancisHoward ReesJosie MacDonaldTim Price
Bob SmithDavid ReesCllr. Peter FoleyBernard RoomeTheresa Jenkins
Cllr. Norah ClarkeMark Evans
Rachael Hitchinson
Marilyn Harris

In South Wales West, there are also party lists from the Communist Party of Britain, Christian Peoples Alliance, RESPECT, Socialist Labour Party, Welsh Christian Party and two independents (Keith James and John Hudson Jenkins).

New members

Thirteen of the members elected to the Assembly in the election were not members of the previous Assembly; they include Gareth Jones, who sat in the Assembly from 1999 to 2003 but lost his seat in that election.

  • Mohammad Asghar, Plaid Cymru, South Wales East

  • Angela Burns, Welsh Conservative, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire

  • Alun Davies, Welsh Labour, Mid and West Wales

  • Andrew R. T. Davies, Welsh Conservative, South Wales Central

  • Paul Davies, Welsh Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire

  • Nerys Evans, Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales

  • Chris Franks, Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central

  • Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Labour, Wrexham

  • Bethan Jenkins, Plaid Cymru, South Wales West

  • Gareth Jones, Plaid Cymru, Aberconwy (previously represented Conwy, 1999–2003)

  • Darren Millar, Welsh Conservative, Clwyd West

  • Nick Ramsay, Welsh Conservative, Monmouth

  • Joyce Watson, Welsh Labour, Mid and West Wales

Defeated members

Nine sitting AMs were defeated at the polls.

  • Glyn Davies, Welsh Conservative, Mid and West Wales

  • Tamsin Dunwoody, Welsh Labour, Preseli Pembrokeshire

  • Lisa Francis, Welsh Conservative, Mid and West Wales

  • Christine Gwyther, Welsh Labour, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire

  • Denise Idris Jones, Welsh Labour, Conwy (defeated in Aberconwy)

  • Laura Anne Jones, Welsh Conservative, South Wales East

  • John Marek, Independent, Wrexham

  • Alun Pugh, Welsh Labour, Clwyd West

  • Catherine Thomas, Welsh Labour, Llanelli

Retiring members

Four sitting AMs did not offer themselves for re-election.

  • David Davies, Welsh Conservative, Monmouth

  • Janet Davies, Plaid Cymru, South Wales West

  • Sue Essex, Welsh Labour, Cardiff North

  • Owen John Thomas, Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central

National election, 2003

Due to boundary changes the composition of the outgoing Assembly will not reflect the Assembly that was elected in May 2003 (see National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions). The main changes are in the North west of Wales where the constituencies of Conwy, Caernarfon, and Meirionydd nant Conwy are replaced by Aberconwy, Arfon and Dwyfor Meirionnydd.

See also

  • 2007 Scottish Parliament election and 2007 United Kingdom local elections the same day

  • One Wales, the resultant coalition agreement.

References

[1]
Citation Linkicwales.icnetwork.co.ukPlaid to seek devolution referendum after election, Wales, 3 January 2007, accessed on 8 February 2007.
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
[2]
Citation Linkicwales.icnetwork.co.ukLabour set to lose out in May's WAG vote, icWales, 2007-01-13, accessed on 2007-01-17.
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
[3]
Citation Linkwww.walesonline.co.ukMartin Shipton (6 April 2007). "First poll thunders warning for Rhodri". walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
[4]
Citation Linkwww.walesonline.co.ukShipton, Martin (5 April 2007). "First poll thunders warning for Rhodri". walesonline.
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
[5]
Citation Linknews.bbc.co.uk"BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Welsh Assembly | Election Result: Wales". news.bbc.co.uk.
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[6]
Citation Linknews.bbc.co.ukDavies to contest assembly seat, BBC News, 5 February 2007, accessed 8 February 2007.
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[7]
Citation Linkwww.englishdemocrats.org.uk"English Democrats Party:: News blog". Archived from the original on 10 May 2007.
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[8]
Citation Linkwww.forwardwales.org"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
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Citation Linkwww.election.demon.co.uk"National Assembly for Wales Election Results 2007-". www.election.demon.co.uk.
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[10]
Citation Linknews.bbc.co.uk"First ethnic minority AM elected". BBC News. 4 May 2007.
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
[11]
Citation Linknews.bbc.co.uk"Plaid AM defects to Conservatives". BBC News. 8 December 2009.
Sep 30, 2019, 12:58 AM
[12]
Citation Linknews.bbc.co.ukResults page
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[13]
Citation Linkweb.archive.orgboundary change site
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[14]
Citation Linkdavidcornock.blogspot.comWales@Westminster newslog - BBC Wales' Parliamentary correspondent David Cornock's diary on political life
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Citation Linknews.bbc.co.ukBBC Wales Politics page
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Citation Linkicwales.icnetwork.co.ukPlaid to seek devolution referendum after election
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Citation Linkicwales.icnetwork.co.ukLabour set to lose out in May's WAG vote
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