Rhondda Cynon Taff

Rhondda Cynon Taff covers the heart of the Valleys in South Wales. This area was once famous for its coal mines, but now only one is left, the Tower Colliery at Hirwaum which was threatened with closure in 1994 but saved by a worker's buyout led by Tyrone O'Sullivan. There have been attempts to attract investment into the area, the Royal Mint, British Airways Avionics, and Hitachi all have plants here, but unemployment remains high.

All three parliamentary constituencies in the region are safe Labour seats - Rhondda has been electing Labour MPs since 1885. Labour also won 58 of the 75 seats on the council in the 1995 local elections. Plaid Cymru has the next largest group, with 12 councillors. The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats did not even put up any candidates in the local elections. Carys Pugh and Betty Bowen, founders of the "Just Say No" campaign are members of the constituency Labour party in Rhondda. The MP for Rhondda, Allan Rogers, has said he is not sure that the referendum will produce a "yes" vote throughout Wales.

Results of 1979 referendum:

		Yes		No		Turnout
All Wales		20%		80%		58.3%
Mid Glamorgan		20%		80%		58.5%

Beaufort Research/Western Mail poll published on 2 July 1997:

		Agree		Disagree		Don't know
All Wales		43%		29%		28%
Valleys		45%		28%		27%