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General election 2019: Chris Davies to stand for Tories General election 2019: Tory Chris Davies withdraws from seat after criticism
(about 2 hours later)
A former MP who lost his seat after he was convicted of a false expenses claim has been selected by the Conservatives to stand in the general election. A former MP who lost his seat following a conviction for a false expenses claim has quit the general election after briefly becoming the Conservative candidate for Ynys Mon.
Chris Davies lost his Brecon and Radnorshire seat after 10,005 people signed a recall petition. Chris Davies pulled out after other Welsh Tories criticised his selection.
He stood again but lost a by-election to the Liberal Democrats and will now contest the Anglesey seat of Ynys Mon. "I will not want to put my wife and family through any more distress," the former Brecon and Radnorshire MP said.
Welsh Conservative chairman Byron Davies said Mr Davies "must now be allowed to move on". A senior Welsh Conservative source told the BBC the campaign had been "shaky to say the least".
Mr Davies admitted two charges of a false expenses claim in March after trying to split the cost of £700 worth of pictures between two office budgets by creating fake invoices, when he could have claimed the amount by other means. "The candidate selection has been seriously flawed and chaotic," the source added.
He made an "unreserved apology", was ordered to complete 50 hours of unpaid work and was fined £1,500. Announcing his decision to withdraw from the election, Mr Davies said: "Given the reaction in the media to the idea of me being a candidate, I have decided to pull out of the selection process."
Angela Burns, Welsh Conservative AM for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, referring to events surrounding independent politician Neil McEvoy, said: "I thought that today we had reached a nadir in Welsh politics." Mr Davies lost a by-election triggered by a recall petition earlier this year.
She claimed that Mr Davies had been imposed by the party: "You couldn't make it up!" He admitted two charges of a false expenses claim in March after trying to split the cost of £700 worth of pictures between two office budgets by creating fake invoices, when he could have claimed the amount by other means.
Another Conservative source in Wales said it was a "surprising choice, given the experience in Brecon and Radnorshire" and the chances for the party in the seat were slimmer than yesterday: "It is inexplicable." He made an "unreserved apology" and was ordered to complete 50 hours of unpaid work and was fined £1,500.
But Welsh Conservatives chairman, Lord Davies of Gower, said: "Chris made a mistake and has paid the price. He must now be allowed to move on. The details of his selection are an internal party matter." News of his selection broke on Tuesday night, prompting incredulity from Angela Burns, Welsh Conservative AM for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.
Claiming Mr Davies had been imposed by the party, she said: "You couldn't make it up."
"It is inexplicable," another Welsh Conservative source said.
Mr Davies had tried and failed to apply to be the general election candidate in Brecon and Radnorshire before the Ynys Mon selection was made.
Lord Davies of Gower, Welsh Conservative chairman, had defended the selection before the candidate quit, saying: "Chris made a mistake and has paid the price. He must now be allowed to move on"
The constituency of Ynys Mon includes the island of Anglesey and the smaller Holy Island.
Labour has selected Mary Roberts for the 12 December poll, while Plaid Cymru has picked Aled ap Dafydd.Labour has selected Mary Roberts for the 12 December poll, while Plaid Cymru has picked Aled ap Dafydd.
Mr ap Dafydd said: "This is unbelievable from the Tories. By imposing a convicted former MP who was found guilty of a false expenses claim as the candidate for the island shows how little they care about Ynys Mon.
"This makes a mockery of the people of the island."
The Brexit Party intends to stand Helen Jenner.The Brexit Party intends to stand Helen Jenner.
Deputy leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Baroness Christine Humphreys, said the Conservatives "have demonstrated their utter contempt" for Ynys Mon voters. Ms Roberts said: "Chris Davies has rightly withdrawn. The Welsh Conservatives are in complete disarray."
She added: "This shows they can offer nothing more than an MP who has admitted to providing false information about his expenses claims." Before Mr Davies pulled out, Plaid's candidate said: "By imposing a convicted former MP who was found guilty of a false expenses claim as the candidate for the island shows how little they care about Ynys Mon."
Labour candidate Mary Roberts said the people of the constituency "deserve better". Deputy leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Baroness Christine Humphreys said the Conservatives had "demonstrated their utter contempt" for Ynys Mon voters.
"It's insulting to the people of Ynys Mon for the Conservatives to now parachute him in as a parliamentary candidate," she added.
The summer by-election cut the Conservative working majority to just one when Jane Dodds overturned Mr Davies's 8,038 majority to beat Conservative Chris Davies by 1,425 votes.The summer by-election cut the Conservative working majority to just one when Jane Dodds overturned Mr Davies's 8,038 majority to beat Conservative Chris Davies by 1,425 votes.