Politics in Cardiff facts for kids
Cardiff is represented politically on a number of local, regional, national and international levels.
Political representation
Cardiff is split into four parliamentary constituencies which form the electoral basis for elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the National Assembly for Wales.
The constituencies and their representatives in the House of Commons since the 2015 election have been:
- Cardiff Central: Jo Stevens (Labour Party)
- Cardiff North: Craig Williams (Conservative)
- Cardiff South and Penarth: Stephen Doughty (Labour)
- Cardiff West: Kevin Brennan (Labour)
Famous politicians who have represented Cardiff constituencies include James Callaghan, a former Prime Minister who held his constituency seat for over forty years, and George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy, who served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1976 and 1983.
European Parliament
Cardiff is part of the Wales constituency in European Parliament elections, which elects four representatives. The current Members of the European Parliament for Wales are:
- Jill Evans (European Greens–European Free Alliance/Plaid Cymru)
- Kay Swinburne (European Conservatives and Reformists/Conservative)
- Derek Vaughan (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats/Labour)
- Nathan Gill (Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy/UKIP)
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales has been based in Cardiff Bay since its formation in 1999. The building which is now known as the Senedd (Welsh for Legislature, Parliament or Senate) was opened on 1 March 2006, by the Queen. The executive and civil servants of the Welsh Assembly Government are based in Cardiff's Cathays Park while the Assembly Members, the Assembly Parliamentary Service and Ministerial support staff are based in Cardiff Bay. Cardiff elects four constituency Assembly Members (AMs) to the Assembly, with the individual constituencies for the Assembly being the same as for the UK Parliament. All of the city's residents have an extra vote for the South Wales Central region which increases proportionality to the Assembly. The most recent Welsh Assembly elections were held on 3 May 2007.
As with the United Kingdom Partliment, Cardiff is split into four constituencies:
- Cardiff Central: Jenny Rathbone (Labour)
- Cardiff North: Julie Morgan (Labour)
- Cardiff South and Penarth: Vaughan Gething (Labour)
- Cardiff West: Mark Drakeford (Labour)
The South Wales Central Assembly Region elects four Assembly Members to serve the area covered by Cardiff, Rhondda-Cynon-Taf and the Vale of Glamorgan local authority areas. These are currently:
- David Melding (Conservative)
- Andrew R. T. Davies (Conservative)
- Leanne Wood (Plaid Cymru)
- Eluned Parrott (Liberal Democrat)
