General Election in Ceredigion - The Line-Up

The announcement this week of Labour’s General Election candidate for Ceredigion completes the line-up for the parties in the constituency, bar any minor additions. Here they are below, using as much impartiality as I can muster, in the order they’ll appear on the ballot paper.

The profile of candidates in the constituency is certainly changing. Of the six contestants, three moved here to attend Aberystwyth University and only two are originally from the area, the only two to be fluent in Welsh. Of the five with published addresses, all live in the northernmost third of the county – a very different profile to previous elections where the candidates have been much more geographically spread.

Richard Boudier - Labour
An Aberystwyth Town Councillor in the final year of an international politics degree. Originally from Cardiff. Towards the end of last year I bumped into him in the Co-op where he was working. He told me then he may well be the Labour candidate. Naturally my eyes lit up at the prospect of another scoop for this blog but unfortunately he asked me not to mention it till a formal announcement, which was made this week.

Luke Evetts - Conservatives
Lives in Penparcau. Brought up in New Quay. Got involved in last year’s successful Cadw Calon Aberystwyth campaign to save small shops in the town. In 2008 he stood both in New Quay in the local elections and then in the Rheidol ward by-election two months later. Recently graduated in law from Aberystwyth University. Chapel-going Welsh speaker.

Penri James - Plaid Cymru
One of only two candidates originally from the area. Still lives in his home village. Works as an agricultural lecturer, specialising in farm management and rural business planning. Former leader of the Plaid group on Ceredigion County Council where he served as a councillor for thirteen years.

Leila Kierch - Green
Lives in Llanfihangel y Creuddyn. Moved to Aberystwyth ten years ago to do a degree in environmental studies. Campaigner for the Save our Seas pressure group. A candidate in Ystwyth ward in the last County Council elections and topped the Green list for Mid & West Wales in the 2007 Assembly elections.

Mike Wieteska - UKIP *UPDATE* - no longer standing
Born in Salford. Emigrated to Australia, where he was ordained as a Christian minister, and then worked in New Zealand, Polynesia and Switzerland before moving to Wales. No information given about Ceredigion connections so have to assume none.

Mark Williams - Lib Dems
Originally from Hertfordshire. First came to Aberystwyth to do a degree. Was a teacher at a primary school near Brecon when he won the seat by 219 votes at the last election and subsequently moved to Borth. The first non-Welsh speaker to represent the constituency.