LABOUR has selected a theatre director and producer as its candidate to challenge Monmouth MP David Davies at the next general election.

Yvonne Murphy from Penarth beat four other candidates at a hustings held on Sunday, September 8, to win the nomination to fight the seat.

Around 100 Labour Party members from the Monmouth constituency turned up to select their candidate for the seat, which was last held by Labour in 2005, when Huw Edwards was MP.

The 2017 election saw a 9.8 per cent rise in Labour voters in the constituency for candidate Ruth Jones, who won the Newport West by-election last April after the death of veteran Parlaimentarian Paul Flynn.

Ms Murphy will be standing as a parliamentary candidate for the first time.

“I’m overwhelmed and honoured to have been selected,” she said.

“The constituency deserves to be represented by a Labour MP who will ensure that all people in the area have a strong voice.”

While the votes were being counted, Ruth Jones gave party members an insight into the way events are unfolding in Westminster.

Ms Murphy, who is the youngest of six children of Irish immigrant working class parents, read Drama at Manchester University before training as an actor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

She also works as a consultant in the arts and cultural sector.

The Liberal Democrats have also selected their candidate to fight the seat, former schoolteacher and current Gwent Wildlife Trust chair Alison Willott.

At the last election, Conservative MP David Davies retained the seat with 53 per cent of the vote, ahead of Labour with 36 per cent.