Rhymney MP chosen as Labour candidate for new seat

Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney MP Gerald Jones has been chosen as the new Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon Labour candidate – beating a fellow MP in the process.

Mr Jones has been selected to stand as the Labour candidate for the new Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon seat in the next general election. 

Mr Jones beat Beth Winter MP who also stood for the seat – Ms Winter is currently the MP for Cynon Valley. 

Mr Jones expressed that he was “incredibly grateful” to have been chosen in a post on social media.

Ms Winter released a statement in which she expressed her solidarity with the Labour Party but also spoke of her disappointment. 

Ms Winter said: “I’m disappointed by this very close result and by the unjust manner in which it came about, which leaves major questions outstanding.” 

Ms Winter added that there were “unacceptable obstacles” put in the way of her grassroots campaign which undermined the democratic process. 

Ms Winter continued: “The online-only process was bulldozed through in just two weeks, with no face-to-face hustings. 

“This was not a fair contest, and I will be taking advice and soundings in the days ahead of my next steps.”

The new Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon seat is a result of boundary changes which will see Mr Jones’ and Ms Winter’s current seats scrapped.

This means that Mr Jones, who is originally from Phillipstown, New Tredegar and has represented Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney since 2015 will no longer represent any area in Caerphilly County Borough. 

The Rhymney and Merthyr Tydfil seat, which has existed for 40 years, will no longer be a constituency as the political map of Wales has been redrawn following boundary reviews.

Speaking previously to Caerphilly Observer about what it has meant to represent Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Mr Jones said: “I’ve been incredibly privileged to represent Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney in the House of Commons.

“The Tory government has reduced the number of MPs and Merthyr Tydfil will now unite with Upper Cynon.

“Until the election, I’ll continue to be the MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney and, as I have always done, will continue to serve local residents to the very best of my ability.”

For the next general election, areas such as Rhymney, along with wards in the current Caerphilly and Islwyn constituencies, will form part of a new constituency – Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney.

Wales is set to have just 32 MPs once the Boundary Commission for Wales submits its final recommendations to the House of Commons this July. The new boundaries will take effect at the next general election.

These changes are to ensure that parliamentary constituencies contain roughly similar size electorates. Due to population changes over the years, these boundaries have been redrawn numerous times in the past.