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Veteran Blackwood councillor standing as an independent
Veteran councillor Kevin Etheridge announced his candidacy for the Islwyn seat last month.
It’ll be the second time Cllr Etheridge, who represents the Blackwood ward on Caerphilly County Borough Council, will have stood for election to Wales’ parliament.
In 2007, he finished second in Islwyn behind Labour’s Irene James, with 28.3% of the votes cast.
Six years earlier, he finished second in Islwyn at the 2001 General Election, where he stood as a Liberal Democrat.
With 40 years experience in local politics, Cllr Etheridge has pledged to put “the people of Islwyn before any party political interests”.
He said: “Local people have been coming up to me for years asking me to stand up for them in the Senedd and not just locally.
“They tell me they are fed up with those they elect representing their party first and the people of Islwyn second and they need someone that has a track record of making their voice heard in politics.”
He added: “Having lived in Wyllie, Risca, Pontllanfraith and Blackwood I shall always put local issues first in our community with partnership, engagement and communication essential in our towns, villages and communities.”
No independent candidates stood for election in any of the three constituencies within Caerphilly County Borough at the last Welsh election in 2016.
No independent candidates are standing in the Caerphilly or Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituencies this year either.
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