Tory leader Bourne loses his seat

Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne was one of the high profile casualties of the night

The Conservatives have suffered a shock defeat with the loss of Wales party leader Nick Bourne.

Mr Bourne failed to regain his Mid and West Wales regional seat.

The result came despite, or perhaps because of his party's success elsewhere, dealing a severe blow to the Lib Dems by gaining Montgomeryshire.

Montgomeryshire was taken by the Lib Dems in 2007 by Mick Bates. He was later expelled after he was convicted of a drunken attack on a paramedic.

Tory candidate Russell George landed 10,026 votes to defeat Lib Dems candidate Wyn Williams.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem Welsh leader Kirsty Williams held onto Brecon and Radnorshire.

Ms Williams, who became the leader of the party in 2008, held off a strong challenge from Conservative candidate Chris Davies in the rural seat.

She has held the mid Wales seat since 1999.

“We're constantly being asked about the effects of the coalition impacting on our politics here”

Kirsty Williams Welsh Liberal Democat leader

Ms Williams said: "It's been a tough campaign for the Welsh Liberal Democrats. We've seen some disappointing results tonight.

"It's been a tough campaign and that's been reflected in some of the seats where perhaps we haven't been able to concentrate our efforts."

She added: "There's been a big challenge for us with our colleagues in Westminster in power for the first time.

"We're constantly being asked about the effects of the coalition impacting on our politics here."

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru's Elin Jones, the rural affairs minister in the last assembly government, has held Ceredigion.

Ms Jones had a majority of 1,777 over second-placed Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Evans.

Elsewhere in the region, Plaid Cymru's Rhodri Glyn Thomas held Carmarthen East & Dinefwr.

Mid and West Wales list seats were won by Plaid Cymru's Simon Thomas, Labour's Elizabeth Watson and Rebecca Evans and Liberal Democrat William Powell.

This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-13305161

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