ITV Wales' General Election Roadshow visits Brecon: What do voters want?


It is little more than a week until voters go to the polls to decide who will walk through the doors of Number 10 on 5 July.

In the run-up to the General Election, ITV Cymru Wales is out on the road and taking that iconic door to the voters to find out what they want from the next prime minister.

This week's stop: Brecon.

Boundary changes mean the new Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe seat encompasses what was formerly the Brecon and Radnorshire constituency, with its edges now stretching east towards Pontardawe to take in what was part of the former Neath boundary.

These changes mean it is hard to compare predictions for this year's election with the 2019 result.

However, recent polls suggest the Conservatives will be battling it out with the Liberal Democrats for this seat on 4 July.

So, we went to find out what the people of Brecon want from their next prime minister and asked them to write a postcard to the PM.


What do the people of Brecon want from their next prime minister?

Many of the voters we spoke to in Brecon put an emphasis on increased funding into their local communities.

One voter told us investment into mental health provision was vital. She said: "Too many young lives are being lost because there is too much of a gap and there is no support.

"They've shut our youth clubs, there is absolutely nothing around here for children to do."

Another young voter said mental health provision was also on her postcard to the prime minister, saying: "Just in general I think the lack of mental health support has had an effect. Local support is really key in the mental health crisis."

We brought our own version of '10 Downing Street' to the people of Brecon. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

One voter said he felt let down by the government's lack of accountability and transparency, saying: "There's no trust with the government. We've been through so many years of absolute rubbish for the last three or four years."

Investment into the community to drive up employment was at the top of another voter's list.

"There is no employment", she said. "I have two boys who I encouraged to move away because there are no jobs in this area for the youngsters. Unfortunately, its an old people's town!"


Is the constituency impacted by boundary changes?

Like all but one parliamentary constituencies in Wales, the Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency is new for the 2024 General Election.

It is made up of the former Brecon and Radnorshire constituency, and now also encompasses parts of the former Neath constituency, taking in parts of the Swansea Valley.

Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe Credit: Parliament UK
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Who has previously been elected in the area?

Senior Conservative Fay Jones was elected MP for the Brecon and Radnorshire seat in 2019. Before then, the constituency has bounced between the Liberal Democrats and the Tories, with Lib Dem Jane Dodds winning the seat in a by-election.

The former Neath seat, some parts of which are now in the Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency, was a Labour stronghold. In 2019, Christina Rees was elected MP and served up until the election was called.

All seats in the House of Commons are vacant until after the General Election on 4 July.


Who is standing to become the MP in Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe?

  • David Chadwick - Liberal Democrats

  • Matthew Dorrance - Labour

  • Emily Durrant-Munro - Plaid Cymru

  • Jonathan Harrington - Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party

  • Adam Hill - Reform UK

  • Fay Jones - Conservative

  • Ammi Kaur-Dhaliwal - Green Party

  • Lady Lily the Pink - Monster Raving Loony Party


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