This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/wales/8666187.stm

The article has changed 30 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 17 Version 18
Conservatives gain target seats Significant seat gains for Tories
(20 minutes later)
Welsh Conservatives have gained two target seats from Labour - Vale of Glamorgan and Aberconwy - and Montgomeryshire from Lembit Opik. As Welsh Tories made significant gains there was relief for Labour who hung onto several seats while Plaid and LIb Dems faced disappointment.
Labour emphatically regained their former stronghold Blaenau Gwent, which was lost in 2005 to an independent after an internal party row.Labour emphatically regained their former stronghold Blaenau Gwent, which was lost in 2005 to an independent after an internal party row.
The Lib Dems have held Ceredigion and Cardiff Central but failed to gain Swansea West from Labour.The Lib Dems have held Ceredigion and Cardiff Central but failed to gain Swansea West from Labour.
Plaid Cymru has also had its fair share of disappointment.Plaid Cymru has also had its fair share of disappointment.
For the two main UK parties, the results in Wales were looking somewhat rosier.For the two main UK parties, the results in Wales were looking somewhat rosier.
Welsh Labour will be significantly relieved to have hung on in several seats which had been targeted by the other parties.
Although they saw much reduced majorities in seats like Bridgend, Gower and Alyn and Deeside, they fought off Liberal Democrat challenges in Newport East and Swansea West, as well as Plaid Cymru on Ynys Mon.
But it is the emphatic return of Blaenau Gwent to the Labour fold from independent Dai Davies which will give the party the most satisfaction, despite a fall in the party's share of the vote of around seven per cent.
The Conservatives hit most of of their targets in Wales, including the key marginal of the Vale of Glamorgan, the Aberconwy seat in the north, and the prize of Montgomeryshire for former AM Glyn Davies. The swing to them was around five per cent across Wales.
After his election to Aberconwy, Guto Bebb told BBC Wales how the Tories were making "very significant gains in Wales".After his election to Aberconwy, Guto Bebb told BBC Wales how the Tories were making "very significant gains in Wales".
Peter Hain said Labour's results were much better than many predictedPeter Hain said Labour's results were much better than many predicted
"We have actually worked extremely hard. We have fought every single council seat that's been going over the last six or seven years and I think we have convinced the people of this seat that we are serious about representing this constituency," he added."We have actually worked extremely hard. We have fought every single council seat that's been going over the last six or seven years and I think we have convinced the people of this seat that we are serious about representing this constituency," he added.
Asked about the possibility of cooperating with other parties in the event of a hung parliament, he said: "We have a duty if there is a hung parliament to see if a form of government can be put together which will serve the interests of the people of this country."Asked about the possibility of cooperating with other parties in the event of a hung parliament, he said: "We have a duty if there is a hung parliament to see if a form of government can be put together which will serve the interests of the people of this country."
In defiant form, Peter Hain said Labour were doing well in view of the prediction of a trouncing in Wales and across the UK.In defiant form, Peter Hain said Labour were doing well in view of the prediction of a trouncing in Wales and across the UK.
He said Labour's results in Wales were much better than many had predicted, particularly following what he called "bad"county council elections in 2008, and "dreadful" European election results last year.He said Labour's results in Wales were much better than many had predicted, particularly following what he called "bad"county council elections in 2008, and "dreadful" European election results last year.
He credited an "energetic and active" Labour campaign in Wales for Labour's performance.He credited an "energetic and active" Labour campaign in Wales for Labour's performance.
2005 ELECTION IN WALES Labour: 29 seats (42.7%)Liberal Democrat: 4 (18.4%)Conservative: 3 (21.4%)Plaid Cymru: 3 (12.6%)Independent: 1Labour have a notional total of 30 at the 2010 election, with Aberconwy a new seat2005 ELECTION IN WALES Labour: 29 seats (42.7%)Liberal Democrat: 4 (18.4%)Conservative: 3 (21.4%)Plaid Cymru: 3 (12.6%)Independent: 1Labour have a notional total of 30 at the 2010 election, with Aberconwy a new seat
Both Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats had difficult nights, missing out on seats that they had targeted intensively during the campaign.
The one bright spot for the Liberal Democrats was a substantial increase in their majority in Ceredigion, at Plaid Cymru's expense, but there was bitter disappointment in Swansea West and Newport East, as well as the loss of Lembit Opik's seat in Montgomeryshire.
In what will surely come as a huge blow to the Lib Dems, Lembit Opik reacted to losing his Montgomeryshire seat saying: "I cannot really analyse it just after the announcement, but I have been surprised.In what will surely come as a huge blow to the Lib Dems, Lembit Opik reacted to losing his Montgomeryshire seat saying: "I cannot really analyse it just after the announcement, but I have been surprised.
"Credit to my opponent - he won fair and square. If you stand in elections you have to be willing to accept defeat as well as victory and this was my time."Credit to my opponent - he won fair and square. If you stand in elections you have to be willing to accept defeat as well as victory and this was my time.
"Perhaps it was my brand of politics which people weren't to keen on. Perhaps it was a big surge to the Conservatives.""Perhaps it was my brand of politics which people weren't to keen on. Perhaps it was a big surge to the Conservatives."
Plaid disappointment
Speaking to BBC Wales after defeating Mr Opik, Glyn Davies said: "It's something of a shock, really. But it's a great result for me, and a great result for the team that's been working for me, and we are pretty thrilled about it."Speaking to BBC Wales after defeating Mr Opik, Glyn Davies said: "It's something of a shock, really. But it's a great result for me, and a great result for the team that's been working for me, and we are pretty thrilled about it."
Meanwhile, senior figures in Plaid Cymru have also had their fair share of disappointment at their failure to reclaim Ceredigion from the Lib Dems, and a big fall in their share of the vote on Ynys Mon, which was held by Labour. Plaid Cymru figures expressed real disappointment at the party's performance in terms of gaining seats.
They also failed to take Llanelli from Labour despite a high profile campaign. Although their share of the vote held up compared to 2005, they failed to take either Ynys Mon or Llanelli where they had hoped for gains at Labour's expense, and went backwards in terms of trying to reclaim Ceredigion from the Lib Dems.
One of the most eagerly awaited seats to call is Cardiff North where Labour candidate Julie Morgan has said she could lose to the Tories if the exit poll is right, although she said she was was not yet accepting defeat. They also came fourth in Aberconwy, a seat they hold in the National Assembly.Meanwhile, senior figures in Plaid Cymru have also had their fair share of disappointment at their failure to reclaim Ceredigion from the Lib Dems, and a big fall in their share of the vote on Ynys Mon, which was held by Labour.
One of the most eagerly awaited seats yet to call is Cardiff North where Labour candidate Julie Morgan has said she could lose to the Tories if the exit poll is right, although she said she was was not yet accepting defeat.
"We have certainly had a very warm reception wherever we've been in the constituency," she said."We have certainly had a very warm reception wherever we've been in the constituency," she said.
"But it's very difficult to go against a swing that's against you. I've always had to fight the seat like a marginal.""But it's very difficult to go against a swing that's against you. I've always had to fight the seat like a marginal."