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Wales election: Suzy Davies loses place on Tory Senedd candidates list

BBC Suzy DaviesBBC
Suzy Davies: "It really was just good old fashioned local party dynamics"

A former Welsh Conservative leadership candidate has lost her safest route to stay in the Welsh Parliament at this year's election.

Suzy Davies, Senedd Tory education spokeswoman, failed to retain her place on the party's list of candidates for the South Wales West region.

She denied suggestions she had been dropped for her pro-devolution views.

Her hopes of staying in the Senedd rest on winning the Bridgend seat where Labour's majority is more than 5,600.

Ms Davies, a Senedd member since 2011, ran against Paul Davies to lead the Tories in Cardiff Bay in 2018.

She was elected as the first-placed Tory candidate in the South Wales West region in 2016, but was pushed out of the top four places when the party announced its candidates for 2021 on Monday.

Conservative members selected Bridgend county councillor Tom Giffard to top the list instead.

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No 'devo-related cull'

On Twitter, Mrs Davies denied she lost out because of her pro-devolution views, and said she was not asked about them during the selection process.

In the neighbouring South Wales Central region, where Andrew RT Davies retained his top slot, candidates were asked how they would vote in a referendum to abolish the Senedd.

The other three selected candidates - including Ms Davies's son Calum - had sent statements to members saying they would support abolition.

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Ms Davies wrote: "Thanks all for such kind messages re SWW list changes. I've really appreciated it.

"I know some choose to see this as some sort of devo-related cull, but it really was just good old fashioned local party dynamics.

"I know my successor will be as keen on a Tory Welsh Gov as l am."