Ceredigion
Plaid Cymru hold

The Plaid Cymru MP Cynog Dafis resigned to create a by-election in Ceredigion, mid Wales (formerly Cardiganshire, but about six out of ten residents speak Welsh) on his election to the Welsh Assembly in 1999. This was unusual, as most Westminster MPs of all parties in his position simply announced their retirement at the next General Election; but his principles were rewarded when the seat was very comfortably held for the Nationalists, and it now looks safe after a long, predominantly Liberal, history for their new MP (with a slightly less Welsh-sounding name, Simon Thomas).

Simon Thomas retained this seat for Plaid Cymru at the 2000 byelection following retreat to the Welsh Assembly of the former Plaid MP Cynog Dafis, whose preoccupation with environmentalism he shares. The compete Welsh nationalist apparatchik, born 1964 and educated at Aberdare Boys' School and Aberystwyth University, he has worked for the party in some form for at least 8 years, latterly writing its election manifesto whilst doubling up as a 'community development officer' stimulating rural development through public-private-voluntary sector partnerships. Slim, with short, dark, retreating hair, he is the first male MP known to have worn studs in his ear. South Wales-accented, he learnt Welsh as a young adult, has a zealous air, and cycles.

Plaid Cymru

Ceredigion Plaid Cymru

Welsh Liberal Democrats

Ceredigion Liberal Democrat Forum

Welsh Labour Party

Ceredigion County Council

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 8.76% 14.99% 58.45 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 44.61% 2.13% 2,098.09 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 2.79% 2.49% 112.20 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 0.26% 4.43% 5.77 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 0.88% 7.27% 12.06 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 4.93% 2.56% 192.11 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 0.00% 2.04% 0.00 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 3.90% 3.94% 98.79 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 17.92% 13.04% 137.42 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 0.25% 12.70% 1.97 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 7.09% 8.14% 87.12 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 6.88% 4.02% 171.12 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 0.26% 3.19% 8.19 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 0.78% 11.31% 6.92 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 0.00% 3.06% 0.00 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 0.69% 2.52% 27.47 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.00% 0.06% 0.00

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 10.82% 9.41% 114.93 £5-10K 19.96% 16.63% 120.02 £10-15K 19.30% 16.58% 116.44 £15-20K 14.90% 13.58% 109.70 £20-25K 10.59% 10.39% 101.90 £25-30K 7.31% 7.77% 93.99 £30-35K 5.01% 5.79% 86.44 £35-40K 3.44% 4.33% 79.44 £40-45K 2.39% 3.27% 73.07 £45-50K 1.67% 2.48% 67.31 £50-55K 1.18% 1.90% 62.13 £55-60K 0.85% 1.47% 57.49 £60-65K 0.61% 1.15% 53.33 £65-70K 0.45% 0.91% 49.60 £70-75K 0.33% 0.72% 46.25 £75-80K 0.25% 0.57% 43.24 £80-85K 0.19% 0.46% 40.52 £85-90K 0.14% 0.37% 38.07 £90-95K 0.11% 0.31% 35.84 £95-100K 0.08% 0.25% 33.82 £100K + 0.34% 1.34% 25.02