Ex-minister targets valleys seat

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A former assembly cabinet minister aims to return to the Senedd by winning his party's nomination for a valleys seat.

Alun Pugh director of the Snowdonia Society, served as culture minister in Cardiff Bay during his eight years as the Labour AM for Clwyd West.

Rhondda-born Mr Pugh, 53, lost the seat to Tory Darren Millar in 2007.

He said he plans to become Labour's candidate for Blaenau Gwent in the 2011 assembly polls. The seat is held by Independent Trish Law.

Mr Pugh became the only assembly cabinet minister to lose a seat in the 2007 elections after four years in the assembly government cabinet where his responsibilities included heritage, the Welsh language and sport.

He was appointed director of the Snowdonia Society in March 2008.

Mr Pugh, whose father was a collier, said: "I've lived half my life in the valleys. I have worked in the Cynon Valley and Merthyr. I understand the issues affecting the valleys.

'Personal attacks'

"It's not a bad thing to have a national perspective on things. I have lived all over Wales and am a Welsh speaker."

A decision on the candidate for the seat will be made by Labour in July.

Alun Davies, the Mid and West Wales AM for Labour, is also among those who have said they will contend for the nomination.

Mr Davies announced his decision with a scathing attack on Mrs Law, claiming she was "invisible" and had done "little or nothing" to fight for Blaenau Gwent.

Mrs Law held onto her assembly seat in the 2007 elections after winning the by-election following her husband Peter's death in 2006.

She increased her majority in what was once Labour's safest seat in Wales, taking 54% of the vote.

Mr Pugh said he was "not getting into the business of personal attacks on Trish Law".