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Rebel gets shock win
Last updated at 00:00am on 06.05.05A rebel Labour candidate standing as an Independent in one of his former party's safest seats has won a shock victory.
Peter Law, who quit Labour last month in protest at all-women shortlists, claimed the seat, which the party held at the last election with a majority of almost 20,000.
Blaenau Gwent has historically been home to one of the largest Labour parliamentary majorities in the UK and was represented when it was known as Ebbw Vale by former Labour leader Michael Foot and NHS founder Aneurin Bevan.
Mr Law, who also represents the area in the Welsh Assembly, originally withdrew from the race after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
He decided to stand after a long-running row with the Labour hierarchy over the use of an all-women shortlist to select party candidate Maggie Jones.
Speaking before the result Mr Law said: "I'm happy that I have done what I thought was right.
"They have treated us like a bunch of sheep up here and it's a disgrace. I did what I did for the integrity of the people of Blaenau Gwent."
