Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Caernarvon was won by Plaid Cymru at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 8,724 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in Caernarvon from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
Goronwy Owen Roberts (Labour)
18,369
49.2%
Elwyn Rhys Thomas (Liberal)
10,578 (28.3 pts)
85.9%
1951
Goronwy Owen Roberts (Labour)
22,375
62.4%
John Davies (Conservative)
8,896 (24.8 pts)
82.5%
1955
Goronwy Owen Roberts (Labour)
17,682
50.2%
O Meurig Roberts (Conservative)
9,221 (26.2 pts)
82.4%
1959
Goronwy Owen Roberts (Labour)
17,506
50.9%
Tom Ellison Hooson (Conservative)
7,942 (23.1 pts)
83.4%
1964
Goronwy Owen Roberts (Labour)
17,777
54.4%
Shelagh Marjorie Roberts (Conservative)
9,862 (30.2 pts)
80.4%
1966
Goronwy Roberts (Labour)
17,650
56.1%
Roger Prys (Conservative)
10,678 (34.0 pts)
78.4%
1970
Goronwy Roberts (Labour)
13,627
39.0%
Robyn Lewis (Plaid Cymru)
2,296 (6.6 pts)
81.7%
Feb 1974
Dafydd Wigley (Plaid Cymru)
14,103
40.5%
Goronwy Roberts (Labour)
1,728 (5.0 pts)
82.4%
Oct 1974
Dafydd Wigley (Plaid Cymru)
14,624
42.5%
Emlyn Sherrington (Labour)
2,894 (8.4 pts)
80.9%
1979
Dafydd Wigley (Plaid Cymru)
17,420
49.7%
Thomas Hughes (Labour)
8,724 (24.9 pts)
81.5%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Owen Roberts
Labour
18,369
49.2%
Yes
Elwyn Rhys Thomas
Liberal
7,791
20.9%
No
Goronwy Wyn Williams
Conservative
6,315
16.9%
No
John Edward Jones
Plaid Cymru
4,882
13.1%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Owen Roberts
Labour
22,375
62.4%
Yes
John Davies
Conservative
13,479
37.6%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Owen Roberts
Labour
17,682
50.2%
Yes
O Meurig Roberts
Conservative
8,461
24.0%
No
Robert E Jones
Plaid Cymru
5,815
16.5%
No
D Geraint Williams
Liberal
3,277
9.3%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Owen Roberts
Labour
17,506
50.9%
Yes
Tom Ellison Hooson
Conservative
9,564
27.8%
No
Dafydd Orwig Jones
Plaid Cymru
7,293
21.2%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Owen Roberts
Labour
17,777
54.4%
Yes
Shelagh Marjorie Roberts
Conservative
7,915
24.2%
No
Robert E Jones
Plaid Cymru
6,998
21.4%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Roberts
Labour
17,650
56.1%
Yes
Roger Prys
Conservative
6,972
22.2%
No
Humphrey Roberts
Plaid Cymru
6,834
21.7%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Goronwy Roberts
Labour
13,627
39.0%
Yes
Robyn Lewis
Plaid Cymru
11,331
32.4%
No
Kathleen Joan Smith
Conservative
6,812
19.5%
No
John Aled Williams
Liberal
2,195
6.3%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Dafydd Wigley
Plaid Cymru
14,103
40.5%
Yes
Goronwy Roberts
Labour
12,375
35.6%
No
William Garel-Jones
Conservative
5,803
16.7%
No
Gerald David
Liberal
2,506
7.2%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Dafydd Wigley
Plaid Cymru
14,624
42.5%
Yes
Emlyn Sherrington
Labour
11,730
34.1%
No
Robert Harvey
Conservative
4,325
12.6%
No
Dewi Williams
Liberal
3,690
10.7%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Dafydd Wigley
Plaid Cymru
17,420
49.7%
Yes
Thomas Hughes
Labour
8,696
24.8%
No
James Paice
Conservative
6,968
19.9%
No
John Edwards
Liberal
1,999
5.7%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Caernarvon has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour, Plaid Cymru.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Caernarvon in the 1979 general election?
Plaid Cymru won Caernarvon in 1979 with 17,420 votes (49.7%), a majority of 8,724 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won Caernarvon since 1950?
Since 1950, Caernarvon has been won by: Labour, Plaid Cymru.
What was the closest result in Caernarvon?
The closest result on record for Caernarvon was Feb 1974, when Plaid Cymru beat Labour by just 1,728 votes (5.0 percentage points).