MP retires as election announced

Political parties in Montgomeryshire will today begin their campaigns for the constituencies next MP.

With news that an election should be held on 12 December, subject to the House of Lords also voting for it, political groups will now start targeting local voters with their views and policies.

The election also means goodbye to incumbent MP Glyn Davies who is standing down.

Mr Davies, who lives at Berriew, removed Lembit Opik from the Montgomeryshire hot seat in 2010 and was re-elected twice, the last time in 2017 with a 9,285 majority.

But the strong Brexiteer announced in May that he would stand down at the next election and last night confirmed that he has already cleared out his Westminster office.

“A real milestone day for me,” said Glyn. “My career as an MP effectively ended. All the meetings I had arranged for next few days are cancelled. Cleared my office this morning, even if the election was in doubt until excellent Deputy Speaker ruled out amendments to today’s General Election Bill this afternoon which sought to add 16 year olds and EU citizens in the UK to the electorate. Quite rightly. These are issues for another day, another Bill.

“Anyway it’s ‘Game On’. General Election December 12.”

Mr Davies went on to say that he “really didn’t want this election” and that he wanted his party to “deliver Brexit first”.

While the local campaigns will officially begin, in reality the parties have been ready for some time with the main candidates already in place.

Craig Williams will replace Mr Davies as the Tory candidate, County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan will represent Plaid Cymru, while Kishan Devani will stand for the Lib Dems. Kait Duerden is the local Labour Parliamentary candidate. Montgomery resident Oliver Lewis will stand for the Brexit Party.