THE predominantly rural border constituency of Monmouth has been held by the Conservatives for the last decade.

But prior to 2005, the constituency swung between Labour and the Conservatives.

Conservative David Davies beat Labour's incumbent Huw Edwards to become MP in 2005, before again reclaiming the seat in 2010.

Mr Edwards had held the seat for two terms winning elections in 1997 and 2001 and had previously spent a year in Parliament after winning a 1991 by-election - only to lose it to Conservative Roger Evans the following year.

Prior to the 1990s the seat was a Conservative stronghold, turning red for one term only in the 1960s.

The district has a large tourist and food sector and covers much of the area governed by Monmouthshire County Council, including the towns of Abergavenny, Monmouth, Chepstow and Usk, as well as Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon in Torfaen.

Villages Magor, Undy and Rogiet and the town of Caldicot in Monmouthshire county are not part of the constituency and are represented in Parliament by Newport East.

The border constituency has strong links to both England and Wales, with the English Democrats calling for a referendum in 2011 over whether the area should became part of England.

The Welsh NHS is a hot topic in the constituency, with two Usk women battling to get the Welsh Government to fund cancer drug Avastin, available just a few miles down the road on the NHS in England.

The constituency also faces issues over the Severn Bridge Tolls, with calls being made to reduce the cost to help businesses on both sides of the bridge.

FACT FILE:

Proportion of the population aged 65 years and over - 23.6%

General ‘good’ health rate – 79.4%

The proportion of the population identified as ‘non-white’ – 2.1%

Average house prices - £185,000

Employment rate, aged 16-64 – 73.9%

Unemployment rate, aged 16 years and over – 5.5%

Child and working tax credits, proportion of families benefiting – 18.1%

Average personal income - £22,200

Number of businesses per 10,000 residents – 446.6 Units

2010 General Election

Electorate 64,538

Votes Cast 46,519

Turnout 72.1%

Results

Conservative win

48% share

10,425 majority