The Welsh Assembly Election takes place on Thursday, May 5 and Caerphilly Observer has asked all the candidates in the county borough to submit 100 words. Here we profile the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency.
The Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency covers the Darran Valley, New Tredegar, Moriah, Pontlottyn and Twyn Carno wards to the north of Caerphilly County Borough.
The Assembly seat has been held by Labour since the first election in 1999.
Its last AM Huw Lewis, elected in 1999, is not seeking re-election. In 2011 Labour won 54% of the vote, with an independent candidate coming second with 18%. Turnout was just 35.1%, slightly below the average of 41.4%, with 19,320 people voting out of a registered electorate of 55,031.
The Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency sits on the Heads of the Valleys and contains two of the top ten most deprived electoral wards in Wales, according to the Welsh Government’s Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation – Twyn Carno and Merthyr Vale.
DAWN BOWDEN, LABOUR: I am proud of the progress being made with Labour and we cannot risk this all being threatened by a Tory Government in Wales. I promise to be a strong voice for you, and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, in the Assembly. Let us continue with the regeneration work, investing in skills to improve job opportunities and the local economy.
So on May 5 please use all your votes for Welsh Labour so we can deliver on our promises for better childcare, investing in schools and apprenticeships, more support for small businesses, helping older people and defending the Welsh NHS.
JULIE COLBRAN, GREEN PARTY: Growing up in the Rhondda Valleys, in a predominantly socialist area, I witnessed at first hand how the local workers were treated. My father was an immigrant, and worked at a local colliery.
It eventually ruined his health. Seeing all the injustices happening to the community around me made me angry, and this anger stayed throughout my life. Now, through the Green Party, the only party that really speaks for ordinary people like me, I feel that I can make a little difference for others that are suffering injustices.
The sick, vulnerable, animals and planet are all in need of care, and I want to be a part of it.
BOB GRIFFIN, LIBERAL DEMOCRATS: Liberalism is about providing equal opportunities for everyone to succeed no matter where they live or where they have come from.
So part of what I am striving for in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney is for our schools to be as good as anywhere in Wales, for our health service to get it right all the time, not just most of the time, and for our shops and businesses to thrive to create jobs and wealth like they do in Cardiff.
As your Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for the Assembly, I’m offering a future you can believe in.
DAVID ROWLANDS, UKIP: Born, bred and educated in The South Wales Valleys, I have been a self-employed businessman for over 40 years, including several directorships.
I joined Ukip in 1999 due to my concern with the growing aspirations of the EU and my passionate belief in the unity of the UK. First list candidate for the Assembly elections in South Wales East region on three occasions and first list candidate in the European election in 2004. I believe uncontrolled immigration to be the biggest threat to the British economy.
• David Rowlands did not provide a biography. This profile is based on his statement from the 2015 General Election.
ELIZABETH SIMON, CONSERVATIVE: I’m standing in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney because I believe I can properly represent the people here.
I am passionate about the regeneration of towns and villages forgotten by previous Assembly governments; I want to see job opportunities increase across Wales; to see our valleys restored to their former glory. I truly believe that the role of an Assembly Member exists for one reason only: to serve the local community. AMs must listen to their constituents and do anything in their power to try and support them.
If I become an AM, I will ensure that everyone in the region can easily contact me and that they can actually see me being active in the local area.
BRIAN THOMAS, PLAID CYMRU: Saving our precious green fields from developers, providing a doctor-led A&E service at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr and electrification of the Valleys rail line are my priorities for Caerphilly.
We must stop Labour’s Local Development Plan which is a recipe for chaos. Our roads, our schools and our GP surgeries will be unable if thousands of new homes are built.
I believed the new Ystrad Mynach hospital would see a step change in services for patients. I was wrong. Caerphilly deserves a full doctor-led A&E service.
• Brian Thomas did not provide a biography. This profile was taken from Plaid Cymru’s website.