Plaid Cymru has selected a firefighter to be a candidate at next year’s UK General Election.
Beci Newton will stand in Caerphilly after being selected by Plaid’s constituency party.
Mrs Newton said: “So many people are disengaged from politics because they feel that ‘all politicians are the same’. I want to change that view and be the alternative for people.
“I want to represent the people of Caerphilly and talk with them about the issues affecting their lives, to bring about real change and restore people’s faith in politics.
Mrs Newton lives in Llanbradach, with her husband Matt and children, William, four, and five-month-old Elin.
I am pleased that Beci Newton is interested enough in politics to have a tilt at a general election but I am sure that she realises that her chances of winning are remote. In the heady days of the 1968 by-election the Welsh Nationalists managed to win 14,274 votes against Labour’s 16,148.
It has been down hill all the way since then with Plaid Cymru only getting 6,460 votes and coming third behind the Conservatives, despite their candidate being the charismatic and popular councillor Lindsay Whittle.
My prediction for 2015 is Plaid Cymru in 4th place behind Labour, UKIP and the Conservatives.
Mrs Newton is a truly remarkable woman, and she’d make a fantastic advocate for the people of Caerphilly. I’m wishing her all the very best in 2015.
Beci Newton is hard-working, politically active, and rooted in her community. She is everything I would ever ask for in a politician and more. Her strength of character and deep, intense love of her country and everything about it would be an asset to Caerphilly. I can only hope Caerphilly sees that!