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1966 Carmarthen by-election

Gwynfor Evans commemorative plaque in Carmarthen based on the night of the election.

The 1966 Carmarthen by-election, was held in Carmarthen, Wales, on 14 July 1966. The contest was significant in that it resulted in the election of Gwynfor Evans, the first ever Plaid Cymru member of parliament. Plaid Cymru's victory in the Carmarthen constituency, a seminal moment for Welsh nationalism, was part of a wider process toward Welsh devolution which eventually led to the establishment of the Welsh Assembly in 1999.

The election was caused by the death of Labour Party member of parliament Megan Lloyd George.

Sensing rising nationalist feeling in Wales, to fight the election Labour selected Gwilym Davies, a Welsh-speaking solicitor who was an active supporter of the Welsh language and had previously been a member of Plaid Cymru.[1]

Gwynfor Evans's surprise win is credited with laying the foundations for Winnie Ewing's victory for the Scottish National Party at the 1967 Hamilton by-election, an event of equal significance for Scottish nationalism.

Result

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1966 Carmarthen by-election[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Gwynfor Evans 16,179 39.0 +22.8
Labour Gwilym P. Davies 13,743 33.1 −13.1
Liberal Hywel Davies 8,650 20.8 −5.3
Conservative Simon Day 2,934 7.1 −4.5
Majority 2,436 5.9 N/A
Turnout 41,506 74.9 −7.7
Registered electors 55,407
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour Swing +12.0

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Julia Langdon, "Lord Prys-Davies obituary", The Guardian, 13 April 2017, accessed 23 August 2025
  2. ^ "1965 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  3. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1971). British parliamentary election results 1950-1970 (1 ed.). Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 9780900178023. Page 570
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