Aberconwy
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 9119 (31.5%)
Conservative: 8875 (30.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 5733 (19.8%)
Plaid Cymru: 4186 (14.4%)
Other: 1080 (3.7%)
Majority: 243 (0.8%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 9398 (27.9%)
Labour: 12479 (37.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 6723 (20%)
Plaid Cymru: 3730 (11.1%)
Green: 512 (1.5%)
UKIP: 298 (0.9%)
Other: 517 (1.5%)
Majority: 3081 (9.2%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 8147 (23.7%)
Labour: 14366 (41.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 5800 (16.9%)
Plaid Cymru: 5665 (16.5%)
UKIP: 388 (1.1%)
Majority: 6219 (18.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 10085 (24.3%)
Labour: 14561 (35%)
Liberal Democrat: 12965 (31.2%)
Plaid Cymru: 2844 (6.8%)
Referendum: 760 (1.8%)
Other: 345 (0.8%)
Majority: 1596 (3.8%)
Boundary changes: underwent major changes in the boundary review to bring it in line with the preserved Welsh county boundaries. Conwy lost Bangor to the new Arfon seat, while gaining the section of Meirionnydd Nant Conwy which was in the Preserved County of Clwyd. The name of the seat was altered from Conwy to Aberconwy to avoid confusion with the existing county.
Profile: Aberconwy consists of the town of Conwy itself, the Victorian seaside resort of Landudno and the Conwy Valley, including Llanrwst and Betws-Y-Coed. Prior to 1997 the seat had been held by the Conservative party for 27 years. After the retirement of Wyn Roberts in 1997 Labour won it from third place. In the 1999 Welsh assembly elections the seat was a surprise win for Plaid, but was won again by Labour in 2003, with Plaid a close second. The removal of Labour voting Bangor under the new boundaries once again makes the seat a prime target for the Tories.
Current MP: Betty Williams (Labour) born 1944 in Bangor. Married with 2 children. Educated at the University of Wales. Former freelance media researcher and charity worker. Elected 1997. Was a long standing councillor in the Gwynedd part of the old Conwy constituency and was mayor of Arfon from 1990-1991. Rebelled against the government on foundation hospitals and the war in Iraq. Hobbies include opera and sheepdog trials. Will retire at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Guto Bebb (Conservative) born 1968, Wrexham. Educated at the University of Wales. Partner in an Economic Development Consultancy. A former Plaid Cymru constituency chairman he defected after being ousted as local chair for his opposition to the single currency. Contested Ogmore by-election 2002, Conwy in 2003 Welsh Assembly elections, Conwy 2005.
Phil Edwards (Plaid Cymru) Educated at Ysgol Y Gader. Former policeman. Contested Clwyd West in 2007 Welsh Assembly elections.
Mike Priestley (Liberal Democrat) Born 1966, Colwyn Bay. Educated at Ysgol Aberconwy. Royal mail delivery office manager. Conwy councillor.
Ronnie Hughes (Labour) Conwy councillor and former leader of the council. Former Aberconwy councillor.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 55388
Male: 48.1%
Female: 51.9%
Under 18: 20.3%
Over 60: 28.8%
Born outside UK: 3.3%
White: 99%
Asian: 0.3%
Mixed: 0.4%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 77.6%
Full time students: 2.5%
Graduates 16-74: 18.8%
No Qualifications 16-74: 30.7%
Owner-Occupied: 73.2%
Social Housing: 12% (Council: 7.7%, Housing Ass.: 4.3%)
Privately Rented: 11.3%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 16%
Iain - care to defend your Euro predictions????
‘Pity Betty Williams is standing down because she would have held this seat.’
I very much doubt that
Even if Labour were neck and neck with the Tories nationally you’d expect the Tories to win this seat, with or wothout Betty Williams
Also, she is regarded locally as nice but not particularly effective - she certainly doesn’t have a type of local record like say Barry Jones in Alyn & Deeside whose reputation was enough for him to hang on in the 1980s
Thanks for the feeback Richard and Partial Observer
As the latter says, I can’t see the Tories winning Alyn & Deeside or Wrexham and I’d add Cardiff South, Gower, Bridgend and Montomery to that list too
Even Clwyd South and Delyn are massive asks - although they could flip which would mean North Wales would be dominated by the Tories and Plaid Cymru
If so, we could see some of the biggest swings of the next election up here although I’ve always felt that the Tories have been seriously underperforming in North Wales in recent elections
Aberconwy’s campaign seems to have started with candidates turning up at various functions - Edwards, Priestley and Bebb were in full flow at the Deganwy Prom day ! Mike Priestley’s lavish A3 leaflet seems to have attracted a good deal of attention - we wait for the response of the others !