Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Newport West.
Recorded crime is 100% below the national average.
MP News Approval i
+53
Ruth Jones
Labour PartyRuth Jones is the Labour MP for Newport West and Islwyn, and has been an MP continually since 4 April 2019.
MPs voted on new regulations expanding the Public Order Act 2023 to criminalise interference with key national infrastructure, such as energy, transport, and water systems. This extends powers introduced to tackle disruptive protest tactics used by groups like Just Stop Oil.
MPs voted on the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — the final Commons vote on whether to pass the assisted dying legislation in its amended form. Passing Third Reading sends the Bill to the House of Lords.
Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have voluntarily stopped eating and drinking. The amendment aimed to close a potential loophole where a person might use self-starvation to meet the terminal illness criteria they would not otherwise meet.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Newport West and Islwyn has been mixed for Ruth across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Calls to pause prison expansion after deaths of 17 inmates” — South Wales Argus
“The Future of HMP Parc: MPs call for UK Government to pause expansion - Committees - UK Parliament” — committees.parliament.uk
A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review. Won by Lab in its first election in 2024. Covers Newport (Newport), Risca and Blackwood. Population 93,367. Recorded crime is 100% below the national average.
Rise in take up of large industrial space in Wales
birminghampost · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£27,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£32,400
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
2,390
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
42
0 primary, 0 secondary, 42 other
Total Income Tax▼
£230m
from 56,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,800
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£4,100
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
1 city, 8 towns, 4 villages, rural areas — 101,158 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
36 councillors across 17 wards · Last elections: Aug 2023
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abercarn | Labour Party | Andy Whitcombe | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Denver Preece | May 2022 | |
| Allt Yr Yn | Conservative and Unionist Party | David Thomas Fouweather | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Matthew Evans | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Pat Drewett | May 2022 | |
| Argoed | Labour Party | Walter Williams | May 2022 |
| Blackwood | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Andrew Farina-Childs | May 2022 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Kevin Etheridge | May 2022 | |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Nigel Stuart Dix | May 2022 | |
| Cefn Fforest Pengam | Labour Party | Marina Chacon-Dawson | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Shane Williams | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Teresa Heron | May 2022 | |
| Crosskeys | Labour Party | Julian Simmonds | May 2022 |
| Crumlin | Labour Party | Carl Jeffrey Thomas | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Kristian Woodland | May 2022 | |
| Gaer | Labour Party | Bev Perkins | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Dimitri Batrouni | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Stephen Marshall | May 2022 | |
| Graig | Labour Party | John Harris | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | John Jones | May 2022 | |
| Newbridge | Labour Party | Adrian Hussey | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Gary Johnston | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Leeroy Jeremiah | May 2022 | |
| Penmaen | Labour Party | Elizabeth Davies | Aug 2023 |
| Risca East | Labour Party | Arianna Leonard | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Nigel George | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Philippa Leonard | May 2022 | |
| Risca West | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Bob Owen | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Ceri Marina Wright | May 2022 | |
| Rogerstone East | Labour Party | Bev Davies | May 2022 |
| Rogerstone North | Conservative and Unionist Party | Chris Reeks | May 2022 |
| Rogerstone West | Labour Party | John Reynolds | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Yvonne Forsey | May 2022 | |
| Tredegar Park Marshfield | Labour Party | Allan Screen | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Rhian Howells | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Trevor Albert Watkins | May 2022 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon Newport West By-election | Lab | 17,409 | 41.5% |
| Ref | 8,541 | 20.4% | |
| Con | 6,710 | 16.0% | |
| PC | 3,529 | 8.4% | |
| LD | 2,087 | 5.0% | |
| Green | 2,078 | 5.0% | |
| Ind | 1,597 | 3.8% |
Ruth Jones has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
15 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Wales saw a rise in large industrial space take-up in Q1 2025, with significant developments including a major new 350,000 sq ft construction project at Indurent Park in Newport. The article highlights improved market activity and new industrial development across South Wales, including investments in Tredegar, Hirwaun, and Blackwood.
The BBC's new period drama 'The Other Bennet Sister' features Ruth Jones (the MP for Newport West and Islwyn) as Mrs Bennet. The article reveals that filming took place predominantly in Wales and Bristol, with Ruth Jones commenting positively about returning to Wales and working with familiar crew members.
Court roundup listing traffic and driving offences from local residents in the Newport West and Islwyn constituency area, including drink driving, speeding, and vehicle licensing violations.
Primary school pupils from the Caerphilly Cluster competed in league football finals, with Ysgol Gymraeg Caerffili winning overall. The event involved 62 teams across five cluster areas and was supported by local college and secondary school leaders as part of the council's commitment to youth sports participation.
Khalis Reynolds, a 25-year-old from Pill in Newport, was sentenced to two years in prison for supplying class A drugs in the city centre. The case highlights ongoing drug dealing problems in Newport's commercial areas, with Reynolds operating a street-level cocaine distribution operation while on licence from a previous robbery conviction.
Knight Frank reports that industrial property take-up in Wales declined in Q1 2026, though new build projects including a major 350,000 sq ft development at Indurent Park in Newport are beginning to come to market, offering potential growth opportunities for the region.
A compilation of recent planning decisions in Newport, covering residential developments, extensions, commercial signage, and sports facility upgrades. The decisions reflect local planning authority's application of design standards, residential amenity protections, and heritage conservation principles across the constituency.
A Newport pub landlord at the Tredegar Arms in Rogerstone describes severe financial pressures from rising utility bills, business rates, and supply costs, forcing him to cut staff. The article highlights the cost-of-living crisis affecting small hospitality businesses in Newport and mentions Welsh Government support schemes including business rates relief.
A stolen VW Golf was pursued by Gwent Police through rural Caerphilly roads after reports of vehicle and registration plate thefts in Blackwood and Aberbargoed. During the chase, an occupant threw a brick at the police car; one suspect was arrested on multiple charges including dangerous driving and attempted GBH, while a second suspect remains at large.
Bargoed Spring Fair attracted over 2,250 visitors with entertainment, food, and craft stalls, organised by Caerphilly County Borough Council and supported by local town council. The event is part of a series of council-funded community activities scheduled throughout 2026, demonstrating investment in town centre vibrancy.
A 59-year-old man from Blackwood in the Newport West and Islwyn constituency was found dead in his bathroom with drug paraphernalia, with emergency services called after naloxone was reportedly delivered. An inquest has been opened to examine the circumstances of the drug-related death.
Freight Movement Limited, a Newport-based family-run haulage firm operating for nearly three decades, entered administration in March 2026 due to rising fuel costs, operational pressures, and losses at its Avonmouth depot. However, the company was quickly acquired by Monex Distribution in a pre-pack deal that preserved 61 jobs and maintained transport services for the region.
Ruth Jones MP, as Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee, has led a call for the UK Government to pause the planned expansion of HMP Parc in South Wales, citing serious safety concerns following 17 inmate deaths in 2024 and ongoing issues with violence, drug misuse, and inadequate mental health services. The Committee warns that expanding the prison now would distract from necessary safety improvements and jeopardise prisoner and staff welfare.
Heart of the Valleys Records, a beloved vinyl shop in Blackwood (Newport West and Islwyn constituency), is closing after nearly 15 years of operation as owner Alun Kent retires. The shop's closure represents the loss of a well-known independent business and cultural landmark in the local community.
Two Newport men and a woman have been sentenced for dealing heroin and cocaine on Newport streets, with Jones and Probert receiving 3 years 9 months in prison. The case highlights ongoing drug trafficking activity in the constituency, with police successfully disrupting a local drug supply operation.
The Glade Café in Rogerstone has secured a new five-year lease with a further five-year extension option, ensuring its continued operation as a community hub. The café, which opened in 2022, has become a popular gathering place and finalist in Welsh business awards, with strong local support.
A historical article documenting the rise of Rogerstone Works as a major aluminium manufacturing facility in Newport, detailing its contributions to British industry from 1950 through the 1980s, including supply to aircraft, shipbuilding, defence, and infrastructure projects.
A routine court report listing multiple individuals from Newport, Risca, Pontypool, Blackwood, Brynmawr, and surrounding areas who have been convicted of traffic and vehicle-related offences. The cases involve violations such as driving without valid licenses, speeding, driving without insurance, and failing to comply with traffic signals.
A fundraising walk linking Ystrad Mynach and Newport Day Hospice is scheduled for May 23, offering 16-mile and 7-mile routes through local landmarks including Sirhowy Country Park and 14 Locks. The event raises funds for St David's Hospice and encourages participants to wear pink in support of those affected by breast cancer.
The article reports on routine planning decisions made by Newport Council across multiple sites within Newport West and Islwyn, including approvals and refusals for residential extensions, care home construction, agricultural buildings, and tree works. The decisions span various neighborhoods within the constituency including Goldcliff, Rogerstone, and Langstone.
Ruth Jones, the MP for Newport West and Islwyn, gave the cast of BBC drama The Other Bennet Sister a tour of Barry Island while they were filming in Wales. The article highlights Jones's popularity and her connection to the local area, with cast members praising her as 'a legend' and describing a fun day out that included swimming, ice cream, and Jones performing as her Gavin & Stacey character Nessa.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is running a programme of Easter holiday activities for children across the borough from March 30 to April 10, including sports camps, outdoor adventures, and play sessions at various venues. The activities cater to different age groups and abilities, with some free sessions in parks and paid options at leisure centres.
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