Plaid Cymru chooses its candidate for new Clwyd East seat

* Paul Penlington will fight Clwyd East for Plaid Cymru at the general election.

A former Denbighshire county councillor has been selected as Plaid Cymru's Parliamentary Candidate for Clwyd East.

The new constituency, which includes the towns and surrounding areas of Llangollen, Ruthin, Mold, Holywell and Prestatyn, will come into being at the next general election.

Carrying the Plaid banner will be Paul Penlington, a former councillor for Prestatyn North who has worked voluntarily in the charity sector and teaching further education at Coleg Cambria.

He said: “I’ve always lived and worked in this constituency and only applied to be the candidate for the area I am already committed to. I wouldn’t want to stand anywhere else.

“This is my home, my family have lived here for generations and I hope will do so for generations to come.  

“I’m not a career politician, I’m an active member of my community and want to continue working as a representative of our community in Westminster. The main reasons I originally became interested in politics have been consistent throughout; supporting those in need, protecting our environment and seeking fairness for all of us.

“This new constituency encompasses a wide range of communities but all of us deserve a fair deal from Westminster which we’re currently not getting. 

“As just a few examples, we export more energy than we produce but have the highest energy bills in the UK, we have the highest levels of child poverty and the worst performing NHS.”

He added: “Llangollen is a beautiful town but still has a lot that needs addressing. The River Dee is virtually dead and is the worst river in Wales for sewage pollution, air pollution, particularly in the summer, is as bad as an inner city, public transport is appalling, there are very few opportunities for young people and smaller communities in the area are largely forgotten. 

“Yet nothing is done. Westminster and the Welsh Government do nothing to protect our environment and public health and offer no practical support to improve and develop services for our smaller towns. 

“This is all symptomatic of how Wales is unfairly used to drain our resources with nothing returned. We deserve so much better and need a local voice to fight for us in Westminster, as a member of a Welsh party not a London-centric party.

“We have always been governed by Labour and Tory. I don’t want to govern, I want to represent my community and fight to get the best for us not a party based in London. 

“My record of public service is easily googled, I’ve always worked hard as a voice for residents. I am ready to take other parties on nationally. I’m standing now as, at the end of the day, I’m the only local candidate and who else will actually stand up for all of us?”