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The Welsh Liberal Democrats has announced their general election candidates for the Caerphilly and the Newport West and Islwyn constituencies.
Bedwas Trethomas and Machen community councillor Steve Aicheler is standing in Caerphilly, while former Newport Council deputy leader Dr Mike Hamilton is in Newport West and Islwyn.

Cllr Aicheler said: “I look forward to giving the people of Caerphilly a better choice in this election. In Caerphilly, the Labour party have taken people’s votes for granted for too long. Caerphilly is a beautiful place to live and an amazing community to be part of, but we are being failed by the Tories in Westminster and Labour in Wales. Our schools are underfunded, our hospitals are under pressure and the big parties don’t seem to care.
“I will fight for a Caerphilly where our schools are properly funded, where we have access to decent healthcare and where our environment is protected.”
Cllr Aicheler was the party’s Caerphilly candidate in the 2021 Senedd election and also stood in the 2022 council elections in the Rudry ward.

Dr Mike Hamilton, who was Newport Council’s deputy leader in 2012, recently stood as the party’s candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner. He also stood in the 2021 Senedd election in the Newport East constituency.
A former merchant navy officer and archaeologist, he has also been a university archaeology lecturer.
The new-look constituencies for the upcoming general election
UK boundaries governing UK parliamentary seats for Caerphilly County Borough are changing – under proposals agreed by the Boundary Commission for Wales.
Wales used to be divided into 40 constituencies for UK Parliament elections, with each constituency electing one Member of Parliament. This number has been reduced to 32 ready for the general election.
However, these boundary changes will not affect Senedd constituency boundaries, which have remained as they were.
The Caerphilly constituency is now made up of the following council wards: Morgan Jones, St James, and St Martin’s (which cover Caerphilly town), Aber Valley, Penyrheol, Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen, Nelson, Llanbradach, Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, St Catwg, Pengam, Pontllanfraith, Maesycwmmer and Ynysddu.

The new seat of Newport West and Islwyn includes the wards of Abercarn, Argoed, Blackwood, Crosskeys, Crumlin, Newbridge, Penmaen, Risca East, Risca West and Cefn Fforest. They are linked with the Newport council wards of Allt yr Yn, Gaer, Graig, Marshfield, Rogerstone and Tredegar Park.

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