Since 1950, this seat has mainly favoured the Conservatives, with only two periods of Labour control - Ted Rowlands in the 1960s and Julie Morgan, who was elected at the last election.
However, during the 1980s, both the Liberal Democrats and Labour chipped away at the Tory lead, with significant gains in the 1992 election, reducing the Conservative majority by a third.
This was part of a trend, which since 1983 has seen Labour gain just 10% more votes on average at each election.
Julie Morgan's victory in 1997 followed a swing of 11.5%.
Two years later, Labour also won the seat in the Assembly. The Conservatives also regained some ground on the local government level in 1999, increasing their representation from one, to five Councillors.
To regain the Westminster seat from Labour would require a swing of 8.4%.
Cardiff North has some of the capital city's most prosperous residential areas, incorporating the leafy suburbs of Llanishen, Rhiwbina and Whitchurch.
Largely middle class, the constituency has an older and ageing electorate.
The Welsh-speaking population here in 1991 was 8.3% - higher than the other Cardiff constituencies, reflecting the increasing numbers of professional and middle class Welsh-speakers employed in the capital.