A traditionally safe
Labour seat, represented for 33 years by
George Thomas (who became Speaker in 1976 and was re-elected without party affiliation in 1979). It has returned a
Conservative only once, in the Tories' landslide year of 1983, when
Stefan Terlezki became the MP.
Labour regained the seat at the next general election in 1987, when
Rhodri Morgan was elected. After the creation of the
Welsh Assembly Government, Morgan stepped down from his Westminster seat in 2001 to serve as leader of
Welsh Labour and
First Minister for Wales.
Kevin Brennan retained the seat for Labour on Morgan's retirement from Westminster politics and has remained the MP ever since.
1974–1983: The County Borough of Cardiff wards of Canton, Ely, Llandaff, Grangetown, Plasmawr, and Riverside.
1983–2010: The City of Cardiff wards of
Caerau, Canton, Ely,
Fairwater, Grangetown, Llandaff, Radyr and St Fagans, and Riverside.
2010–2024: The Cardiff electoral divisions of Caerau, Canton,
Creigiau and St Fagans, Ely, Fairwater, Grangetown, Llandaff,
Pentyrch,
Radyr, and Riverside.
Until 2024 Cardiff West was entirely within the boundaries of the city of Cardiff, though in 2024 (as a result of the
2023 Review of UK constituences) it gained the
Rhondda Cynon Taf ward of
Pontyclun.[4] Population areas within the constituency include Riverside, Pontcanna, St Fagans and Ely. There are some Conservative-voting areas in the north of the seat such as Creigiau and St Fagans, Pentyrch and Radyr, but the bulk of the seat comprises districts towards the centre of Cardiff such as Caerau, Canton, Ely and Riverside which are very strongly Labour.
^
abcdefgCraig, F. W. S. (1971). British parliamentary election results 1950–1970 (1 ed.). Chichester: Political Reference Publications.
ISBN9780900178023. Page 556
^"Politics Resources". Election February 1974. Politics Resources. 28 February 1974. Archived from
the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
^"Politics Resources". Election October 1974. Politics Resources. 10 October 1974. Archived from
the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
^"Politics Resources". Election 1979. Politics Resources. 3 May 1979. Archived from
the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2021.