Labour holds Islwyn: Rhianon Passmore re-elected

Labour’s Rhianon Passmore has been re-elected as the Senedd Member for Islwyn.

Ms Passmore won 9,962 votes, with independent candidate Kevin Etheridge finished second with 4,723 votes.

Plaid Cymru’s Rhys Mills came third, with 3,930 votes, ahead of Conservative candidate Gavin Chambers, who finished fourth with 3,894 votes.

Abolish The Welsh Assembly’s Michael Ford came fifth with 568 votes, followed by UKIP’s Neil Hamilton with 507 votes, Liberal Democrat Oliver Townsend with 476 votes and James Wells, of Reform UK, with 421 votes.

Speaking after her victory, Ms Passmore, who was re-elected for her second term, said she was “hugely privileged” to be voted back in.

She said: “I’m highly honoured to receive this majority against unprecedented political representation.

“I’m massively motivated to continue to fight the cuts to Wales by a far right Westminster Government and deliver for the need of Islwyn.”

Ms Passmore thanked everyone who voted for her and paid tribute to her “fantastic volunteers”.

The Islwyn seat has been held by Labour since 2003, having been won by Plaid Cymru in the first devolved election in 1999.