THE former seat of Labour icons Aneurin Bevan and Michael Foot, Blaenau Gwent was won back by the party at the last General Election.
Nick Smith gained the seat in 2010 with a 10,516 majority, beating independent candidate Dai Davies, who had represented the constituency for four years as an independent.
In 2005, Blaenau Gwent hit the headlines as Labour Assembly member Peter Law stood as an independent and won the seat.
His resignation from the Labour party came as a protest to their use of the all-women shortlist used to select the parliamentary candidate to replace Llew Smith, who stood down at the 2005 election.
Just 11 months after being elected, Mr Law sadly died from a brain tumour in April leading to a by-election.
Mr Law’s former campaign manager Dai Davies was elected to replace him as MP with a near 2,500 majority but the seat was quickly reclaimed by Labour in the next election.
Prior to the change, Blaenau Gwent was considered one of Labour’s safest seats, with opposition parties struggling to gain even 10 per cent of the vote.
The Blaenau Gwent area which covers the main towns of Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar has strong historical mining links.
Health is a top priority for the constituency as earlier this year, deputy health minister Vaughan Gething unveiled a programme to cut the number of premature deaths in Blaenau Gwent, where men have among the lowest life expectancy in England and Wales according to official statistics.
The Office for National Statistics also revealed last month that Blaenau Gwent has the highest death rate in Wales with 1,272 deaths per 100,000 population in 2013.
Investment is also a hot topic with a public inquiry being held into the proposed release of around 250 hectares of common land to the north of Ebbw Vale for the purposes of constructing the Circuit of Wales, a £315 million racetrack project.
Community leaders in March spoke of the hope that the Circuit of Wales has given residents of Blaenau Gwent, calling the need for the project a matter of “survival”.
The planning inspector is expected to complete his report by the end of May but a decision from the Welsh Government may not be announced until September.
PANEL
Proportion of the population aged 65 years and over - 18.8%
General ‘good’ health rate – 72.6 %
The proportion of the population identified as ‘non-white’ – 1.5%
Average house prices - £72,000
Employment rate, aged 16-64 – 64.5%
Unemployment rate, aged 16 years and over – 12.9 %
Child and working tax credits, proportion of families benefiting – 28.9%
Average personal income - £17,800
Number of businesses per 10,000 residents – 149.7 Units
2010 General Election
Electorate 52,442
Votes Cast 32,395
Turnout 61.8%
Results
Labour win
52% share
10,516 majority
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